Micro/Bio/Nanofluidics (Shen) Unit would like to invite you to the seminar by Prof. Tsuyoshi Inoue on February 2 (Friday).
 
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Date:   February 2, 2024
Time:  15:00-16:00
Venue: C209, OIST
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Speaker:

Tsuyoshi Inoue
Professor
Division of Advance Pharmaco-Science, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science
Osaka University, Japan

Title:

MA-T®: A liquid with the potential to make a significant contribution to the SDGs

Abstract:

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global initiative that aims to solve the world's problems by setting 17 goals. These goals include a variety of issues facing humanity, such as climate change, energy problems, access to safe water, and global pandemics.

The disinfectant/deodorant MA-T® (Matching Transformation System®) was brought to the Department of Drug Discovery Science, Organization for Leading Interdisciplinary Research, Osaka University in 2015 as a "mystery water". Consultation on drug discovery aimed to find out if it could be used as an anti-cancer drug. At the time, a physician-led clinical trial was being conducted for the purpose of deodorizing late-stage oral cancer, and phenomena such as shrinkage of the cancer and cessation of invasive fluid were observed, which inspired him to develop an anticancer drug.

Initially, I considered the possibility that radical-induced apoptosis led to the shrinkage of the cancer and consulted Prof. Kei Okubo. Radical active species were detected in an aqueous solution of MA-T with chlorite ions as the main agent, and the mechanism of their formation was also clarified.　Subsequently, Prof. Kei Okubo discovered a dream reaction that converts methane gas into almost 100% liquid fuel methanol and formic acid under normal temperature and pressure by using radical active species generated from aqueous chlorite ion solutions, the main component of MA-T®.

Currently, a chemical plant has been constructed in Okoppe town, Hokkaido, and a demonstration experiment to liquefy biomethane gas has been started. There are 12 billion animals in the world that emit methane gas, which has a global warming potential 25 times higher than that of carbon dioxide, and there are high expectations for the use of this technology to reduce the emission of biomethane gas.

Assoc. Professor Asahara has also utilized methane oxidation and applied it to surface oxidation of versatile polymers, and has succeeded in improving the functionality of polymers, such as modification and heterogeneous adhesion. We then have developed a tool that enables us to immobilize proteins by oxidizing graphene membranes and introducing epoxy groups. We call it EG-grid®, and have almost reached the stage of practical application as a tool for single-particle structural analysis by cryo-electron emission microscopy.

In this talk, we will introduce the MA-T®, a highly stable, safe, and reliable disinfectant/deodorizer, and show how it can be used in an extremely wide range of applications, including the production of clean water in developing countries, prevention of infectious diseases including drug discovery, energy issues, and development of new materials, and discuss its potential to make a significant contribution to the SDGs.

Host:
Prof. Amy Shen