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Outline

Within living cells diverse molecules interact in highly dynamic, continuously changing states, each performing distinct functions essential for regulating cellular behavior. However, how such molecular-level dynamics within living cells influence cellular functions remains largely unclear. Addressing this challenge requires new technologies that allow molecular-level manipulation of cellular functions at a specific location within a single live cell.
We aim to develop a novel nano-optical platform for controlling single-cell functions through plasmonic nanowire-based single live-cell endoscopy. By integrating photoresponsive nanomaterials, including plasmonic nanoparticles, with photoresponsive molecules, we will achieve precise control over photochemical reactions at the nanometer scale. This approach enables targeted delivery, detection, and extraction of biomolecules within a single live cell, providing new opportunities to probe and manipulate cellular functions with high spatial precision.

Fields

Chemistry, Materials Sciences, Interdisciplinary science and engineering

Keywords

Plasmonics, Photochemistry, Nanophotonics, Nanowire, Single live-cell manipulation

Subjects

1. Development of Nano-Optical Technologies for Cellular Manipulation
2. Precision Control of Photochemical Reactions Using Nonlinear Optical Phenomena
3. Development of Novel Photoresponsive Molecules Applicable to Intracellular Environments

Selected Publications

1. Yoshimura, M., Sasayama, R., Kajiwara, T., Mori, C., Nakasone, Y., Inose, T.: “Remote Silyl Groups Enhance Hydrolytic Stability and Photocleavage Efficiency in Carbamates for Protein Release “, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., e202502376 (2025).
2. Inose, T., Toyouchi, S., Hara, S., Sugioka, S., Walke, P., Oyabu, R., Fortuni, B., Peeters, W., Usami, Y., Hirai, K., De Feyter, S., Uji-i, H., Fujita, Y., Tanaka, H.: “Visualizing Ribbon-to-Ribbon Heterogeneity of Chemically Unzipped Wide Graphene Nanoribbons by Silver Nanowire-Based Tip-Enhanced Raman Scattering Microscopy”, Small, 2301841 (2023).
3. Fortuni, B., Ricci, M., Vitale, R., Inose, T., Zhang, Q., Hutchison, J., Hirai, K., Fujita, Y., Toyouchi, S., Krzyzowska, S., Van Zundert, I., Rocha, S., Uji-i, H.: "SERS Endoscopy for Monitoring Intracellular Drug Dynamics", ACS Sensors, 8, 2340-2347 (2023).
4. Zhang, Q., Inose, T., Ricci, M., Li, J., Tian, Y., Wen, H., Toyouchi, S., Fron, E., Thi Ngoc Dao, A., Kasai, H., Rocha, S., Hirai, K., Fortuni, B., Uji-I, H.: “Gold-Photodeposited Silver Nanowire Endoscopy for Cytosolic and Nuclear pH Sensing”, ACS Appl. Nano Mater., 4, 9886–9894 (2021).
5. Inose, T., Toyouchi, S., Lu, G., Umemoto, K., Tezuka, Y., Lyu, B., Masuhara, A., Fron, E., Fujita, Y., Hirai, K., Uji-I, H.: “Water-Mediated Polyol Synthesis of Pencil-like Sharp Silver Nanowires Suitable for Nonlinear Plasmonics”, Chem. Commun., 55, 11630-11633 (2019).

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