Dynamic actions of proteins, such as the conformational change and protein-protein interactions, are crucial to their biological functions. Usually, protein motions are unsynchronized and, therefore, difficult to monitor with ensemble-averaged experiments. In order to reveal the dynamic behavior of proteins, single-molecule approaches are indispensable. We are developing and implementing novel single-molecule techniques based on high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM). These techniques enable real-time visualization of molecules in action and allow to elucidate the function mechanisms of biological molecules with dynamic actions relevant to their unique tasks.
The D lab was established from the former J lab after Prof. Kouyama's retirement by Takayuki Uchihashi, who moved here from Kanazawa University on April 1st 2017. In April 2018 two fourth year students joined the other members (one PhD student from Kanazawa University, two researchers). Let's all work together to create a new and interesting lab!
By the way, it is often asked what the "D" of the "D lab" means: It is the first letter of "dynamics".