Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Kyoto University

Principal Investigator
Shiroh FUTAKI, Ph.D.
Specially Appointed Professor
E-mail: futaki[at]scl.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Born in 1959. Ph.D. from Kyoto University in 1989. Research Associate and Associate Professor at the University of Tokushima (1987-1997). Associate Professor and Professor at the Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University (1997-2025). He has held his current position since April 2025. Awards include the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan Award (2020), the Akabori Memorial Award (2022), and the Naito Memorial Award (2025).
Researchmap | Google Scholar

Group Member
Kazuya OKAMI, Ph.D.
Program-Specific Researcher
E-mail: okami.kazuya.3a[at]kyoto-u.ac.jp
Born in 1994. Ph.D. from Nagasaki University in March 2025.

Research Outline
Our laboratory aims to establish a new concept of intracellular delivery of proteins and drugs, including antibodies, using functional peptides that interact with biomembranes.

Principal Research Interests
1. Intracellular antibody delivery peptide L17E and analogues
Peptide L17E, which is a hydrophobic amino acid at position 17 of the membrane-lytic spider venom peptide M-lycotoxin sequence replaced with a hydrophilic glutamic acid, transiently increases the permeability of the cell membrane. L17E and antibodies are added simultaneously to the cell culture medium to achieve effective cytosolic delivery of antibodies.
Nat. Chem. 2017, 9, 751-761. doi: 10.1038/nchem.2779
Mol. Pharm. 2019, 16, 2540-2548. doi: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.9b00156
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 19990-19998. doi: 10.1002/anie.202005887

2. Intracellular delivery of IgG antibodies using coacervates (microcondensates)
We have found that a mixture of L17E multimer and negatively charged IgGs forms a droplet-like complex (coacervate/microcondensate) with a diameter of a few micrometers. When the microcondensates come in contact with the plasma membrane, they induce a dynamic conformational change of the plasma membrane that entraps the microcondensates and induces an intracellular infusion of IgG. Through the design of various delivery systems and the understanding of the induction mechanism, we aim to establish a highly efficient intracellular delivery system of IgGs and to explore the applicability to the regulation of cellular functions.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 19804-19812. doi: 10.1002/anie.202105527.
Bioconjug. Chem. 2024, 35, 1888-1899. doi: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.4c00344.