Research
Kuroda group researches to solve energy and medical problems using ionic liquids and life-related materials such as plant biomass, cells, microorganisms, enzymes. Ionic liquids are known as “the third solvents,” which are different from water and organic solvents. Since they enable rapid dissolution of biomass, application to microorganisms without toxic effect, change of the equilibrium in enzymatic reactions etc., ionic liquids have been found to be very interesting biocompatible materials. Taking advantage of these features of ionic liquids, we are researching toward making next-generation biofuels from plant biomass, cryopreservation of cells which are impossible to cryopreserve, and so on.
Features
Our research goal is to solve significant interdisciplinary issues, mainly related to energy and medical issues, by exploiting broad knowledge and techniques. We actively work in the fields of (i) Life science such as enzyme, fermentation, iPS cells, (ii) Organic chemistry such as design and synthesis of ionic liquids, and (iii) Physical and Analytical chemistry such as analysis of interaction between ionic liquids and solutes. The fact – not so many research groups can address such interdisciplinary issues – indicates that solving the issues are extremely difficult, but for this reason, we challenge the difficulties.
Lab. life
Members enjoy their researches. For example, members enthusiastically attend domestic/international scientific conferences with their significant results and won awards. We have a core time from 9 to 17, but you can also enjoy Japanese culture after that and at weekend. Sometimes, we sometimes have a small dinner party.
We have experience of acceptance of PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from foreign countries. I hope you join our group and enthusiastically enjoy both science and privates!
How to join Kuroda group
Kuroda group is in Bioengineering Course, School of Biological Science and Technology, College of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University. We let you know some options to join our lab. Please see following cases.
1. As undergraduate students
Please enter ”Bioengineering Course, School of Biological Science and Technology”. You can choose our lab. at the fourth year. If you want, you may start research from the beginning.
2. As master course students, Ph.D. students
Please contact to me by email with the following information: CV, scholarship (if applicable), what you want to do in our lab (in detail in the case of Ph.D. students).
Kanazawa university, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and your government may have scholarship to cover your salary and you can apply such scholarship, if you need. You can search them in google and may send a message to their office.
3. As Postdoctoral researchers
Please contact to me by email with the following information: CV, grant for your salary (if applicable), what you want to do in our lab (in detail).
Kanazawa university, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and your government may have grant to cover your salary and you can apply such grant, if you need. You can search them in google and may send a message to their office.
In every case, please do not hesitate to contact to me.
email：kkuroda at staff.kanazawa-u.ac.jp (Please replace “at” by “@“)