Ken Itami
@kenitami.bsky.social
A chemist believing the power of molecules. Synthetic chemistry, molecular nanocarbon science, catalysis, and chemical biology. Be unique, go crazy!
kenichiro.itami@riken.jp
https://itami-lab.com/?lang=en
kenichiro.itami@riken.jp
https://itami-lab.com/?lang=en
Itami Lab Reunion Symposium, IKOCS, was huge success!!! 140 people gathered in RIKEN! Great lectures, discussion, and party!!! So many thanks for coming and also to current members for dedicated organization! GOAT!
November 8, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Itami Lab Reunion Symposium, IKOCS, was huge success!!! 140 people gathered in RIKEN! Great lectures, discussion, and party!!! So many thanks for coming and also to current members for dedicated organization! GOAT!
Mission complete! As a CNRS chemistry ambassador, I did 7 lectures at 7 different places in France in 11 days! 3800 km by trains! It was hard but huge fun to find lots of seeds for future collaboration! Thanks everyone! I will come back!!
October 24, 2025 at 4:42 AM
Mission complete! As a CNRS chemistry ambassador, I did 7 lectures at 7 different places in France in 11 days! 3800 km by trains! It was hard but huge fun to find lots of seeds for future collaboration! Thanks everyone! I will come back!!
Reposted by Ken Itami
Today we have the pleasure to host Ken Itami in Rennes as a @cnrs.fr ambassador. Fantastic talk! 👍
@kenitami.bsky.social
@iscr-rennes.bsky.social
@kenitami.bsky.social
@iscr-rennes.bsky.social
October 20, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Today we have the pleasure to host Ken Itami in Rennes as a @cnrs.fr ambassador. Fantastic talk! 👍
@kenitami.bsky.social
@iscr-rennes.bsky.social
@kenitami.bsky.social
@iscr-rennes.bsky.social
We welcome Lucas (6 month master course study) and Ayaka (staff scientist) in Itami Lab!! So nice to have you two! Let’s explore crazy chemistry!!!
October 3, 2025 at 10:23 PM
We welcome Lucas (6 month master course study) and Ayaka (staff scientist) in Itami Lab!! So nice to have you two! Let’s explore crazy chemistry!!!
It was huge fun!! Many thanks Murakami Lab!!! See you next at RIKEN!!
September 18, 2025 at 10:23 AM
It was huge fun!! Many thanks Murakami Lab!!! See you next at RIKEN!!
Kei Murakami (previous staff) and Yota Sakakibara (previous student) in front of beautiful campus. Super great host!
September 16, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Kei Murakami (previous staff) and Yota Sakakibara (previous student) in front of beautiful campus. Super great host!
Yesterday I fully enjoyed the really exciting discussion and mixing with Murakami Lab, Kwansei Gakuin University. Door to door it took me 6 hours to come but worth it! Today and tomorrow, I will do extensive short course and lecture!
September 16, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Yesterday I fully enjoyed the really exciting discussion and mixing with Murakami Lab, Kwansei Gakuin University. Door to door it took me 6 hours to come but worth it! Today and tomorrow, I will do extensive short course and lecture!
Thanks Larry!!!
Congratulations, Ken!
Extremely excited to be selected as CNRS Ambassador for Chemical Sciences in France!
I expect the upcoming lecture tour to strengthen the ties between French and Japanese science, fostering a spirit of mutual inspiration.
www.inc.cnrs.fr/fr/cnrsinfo/...
I expect the upcoming lecture tour to strengthen the ties between French and Japanese science, fostering a spirit of mutual inspiration.
www.inc.cnrs.fr/fr/cnrsinfo/...
September 14, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Thanks Larry!!!
Extremely excited to be selected as CNRS Ambassador for Chemical Sciences in France!
I expect the upcoming lecture tour to strengthen the ties between French and Japanese science, fostering a spirit of mutual inspiration.
www.inc.cnrs.fr/fr/cnrsinfo/...
I expect the upcoming lecture tour to strengthen the ties between French and Japanese science, fostering a spirit of mutual inspiration.
www.inc.cnrs.fr/fr/cnrsinfo/...
CNRS Chemistry welcomes Kenichiro Itami as the Ambassador in Chemical Sciences
On 13 October, 2025, Kenichiro Itami, Chief Scientist and Direc
www.inc.cnrs.fr
September 12, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Extremely excited to be selected as CNRS Ambassador for Chemical Sciences in France!
I expect the upcoming lecture tour to strengthen the ties between French and Japanese science, fostering a spirit of mutual inspiration.
www.inc.cnrs.fr/fr/cnrsinfo/...
I expect the upcoming lecture tour to strengthen the ties between French and Japanese science, fostering a spirit of mutual inspiration.
www.inc.cnrs.fr/fr/cnrsinfo/...
Tomoki’s work making non-emissive [6]CPP fluorescent by simple multiple methyl substitution is now out @chemicalscience.rsc.org ! We hope this simple, yet pronounced ‘methyl effect’ facilitates the design and application of CPP-based materials in various fields!
pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/A...
pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/A...
September 11, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Tomoki’s work making non-emissive [6]CPP fluorescent by simple multiple methyl substitution is now out @chemicalscience.rsc.org ! We hope this simple, yet pronounced ‘methyl effect’ facilitates the design and application of CPP-based materials in various fields!
pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/A...
pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/A...
A bioactive nanocarbon that targets cross-species PPIs.
We discovered a molecular nanocarbon (clionene) that inhibits PPIs in insect diapause and human immune signalings. Very exciting collaboration with Larry Scott @scott61144.bsky.social and Hasegawa lab!
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
We discovered a molecular nanocarbon (clionene) that inhibits PPIs in insect diapause and human immune signalings. Very exciting collaboration with Larry Scott @scott61144.bsky.social and Hasegawa lab!
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
A bioactive nanocarbon that targets cross-species protein–protein interactions
The quest for bioactive molecules has long been confined to a rather narrow chemical space, limiting the discovery of uncharted chemical structures. Identifying such compounds is essential for uncover...
chemrxiv.org
September 4, 2025 at 3:39 AM
A bioactive nanocarbon that targets cross-species PPIs.
We discovered a molecular nanocarbon (clionene) that inhibits PPIs in insect diapause and human immune signalings. Very exciting collaboration with Larry Scott @scott61144.bsky.social and Hasegawa lab!
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
We discovered a molecular nanocarbon (clionene) that inhibits PPIs in insect diapause and human immune signalings. Very exciting collaboration with Larry Scott @scott61144.bsky.social and Hasegawa lab!
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
Happy birthday Prof. Noyori and Dorae-mon!
Don’t miss Noyori’s autobiography “Research should be fresh, simple, and clear”, recently released !
l-i-c.org/ryoji-noyori...
September 3, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Happy birthday Prof. Noyori and Dorae-mon!
Don’t miss Noyori’s autobiography “Research should be fresh, simple, and clear”, recently released !
l-i-c.org/ryoji-noyori...
Could caterpillar guts help to manufacture nanomaterials?
Check out the RIKEN research highlight!
www.riken.jp/en/news_pubs...
Check out the RIKEN research highlight!
www.riken.jp/en/news_pubs...
Could caterpillar guts help to manufacture nanomaterials?
www.riken.jp
August 17, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Could caterpillar guts help to manufacture nanomaterials?
Check out the RIKEN research highlight!
www.riken.jp/en/news_pubs...
Check out the RIKEN research highlight!
www.riken.jp/en/news_pubs...
We very much enjoyed the lecture by Bruce Yu from Academia Sinica, Taiwan! Very insightful and exciting!! Thanks Bruce!
August 8, 2025 at 5:26 AM
We very much enjoyed the lecture by Bruce Yu from Academia Sinica, Taiwan! Very insightful and exciting!! Thanks Bruce!
So great to have two very active players in our lab! Welcome Asim and Ando-kun to Itami Lab!! It was very nice welcome party last night with LOTS of Indian curry!
August 8, 2025 at 12:19 AM
So great to have two very active players in our lab! Welcome Asim and Ando-kun to Itami Lab!! It was very nice welcome party last night with LOTS of Indian curry!
A great collaborative paper with Jean Bouffard Lab is out in JACS! From your arenes and molecular nanocarbons, you can make C-H amination products! My favorite examples are double amination of CPP and coronene! Congrats Rikuo, Sajan, and the team!
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
July 23, 2025 at 9:36 PM
A great collaborative paper with Jean Bouffard Lab is out in JACS! From your arenes and molecular nanocarbons, you can make C-H amination products! My favorite examples are double amination of CPP and coronene! Congrats Rikuo, Sajan, and the team!
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
A simple, Mg-mediated, 12-fold dearomative esterification of carbon nanobelt, dedicated to Fraser Stoddart in @angewandtechemie.bsky.social. Huge congrats to Tsubasa, Takehisa & the team! Nice artwork created by Issey Takahashi!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
July 7, 2025 at 8:09 AM
A simple, Mg-mediated, 12-fold dearomative esterification of carbon nanobelt, dedicated to Fraser Stoddart in @angewandtechemie.bsky.social. Huge congrats to Tsubasa, Takehisa & the team! Nice artwork created by Issey Takahashi!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Thanks for the highlight article!
By feeding tobacco cutworm larvae a diet of boiled kidney beans and agar with nanocarbon substrate, researchers synthesised oxygen-doped molecular nanocarbons.
‘This is an alternative, crazy option for synthetic chemists, for making molecules’
#ChemSky #ScienceSky #BioSky
‘This is an alternative, crazy option for synthetic chemists, for making molecules’
#ChemSky #ScienceSky #BioSky
Caterpillars become ‘crazy option for synthetic chemists’ to make oxygen-doped nanocarbons
In-insect synthesis could offer new routes to reach hard-to-make molecules
www.chemistryworld.com
June 10, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Thanks for the highlight article!
Thanks Larry!!!
Cycloparaazine, a full-azine carbon nanoring - Congratulations , Ken! www.nature.com/articles/s41... #PiSky
June 9, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Thanks Larry!!!
Reposted by Ken Itami
Cycloparaazine, a full-azine carbon nanoring - Congratulations , Ken! www.nature.com/articles/s41... #PiSky
June 9, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Cycloparaazine, a full-azine carbon nanoring - Congratulations , Ken! www.nature.com/articles/s41... #PiSky
The first all-azine nanoring is now out in @NatureComms. The very strong collaborative team of Nagoya-Munster-RIKEN made this possible, particularly Till Drennhaus. Many thanks and congrats to all involved! Issey Takahashi made another eye-catching artwork shown here.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
June 9, 2025 at 9:47 AM
The first all-azine nanoring is now out in @NatureComms. The very strong collaborative team of Nagoya-Munster-RIKEN made this possible, particularly Till Drennhaus. Many thanks and congrats to all involved! Issey Takahashi made another eye-catching artwork shown here.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Our in-insect nanocarbon synthesis is now out in @ScienceMagazine. Enjoy our crazy campaign feeding molecules to insects densely packed with diverse enzymes and let them produce new functional compounds! Many thanks and huge congrats to all involved!!
science.org/doi/10.1126/sc…
science.org/doi/10.1126/sc…
June 5, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Our in-insect nanocarbon synthesis is now out in @ScienceMagazine. Enjoy our crazy campaign feeding molecules to insects densely packed with diverse enzymes and let them produce new functional compounds! Many thanks and huge congrats to all involved!!
science.org/doi/10.1126/sc…
science.org/doi/10.1126/sc…
Today, we started our second lab “Expanded Chemical Space Team” in RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, in addition to “Molecule Creation Lab” in RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute!! We will explore the potential of previously untapped chemical space!!!
March 31, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Today, we started our second lab “Expanded Chemical Space Team” in RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, in addition to “Molecule Creation Lab” in RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute!! We will explore the potential of previously untapped chemical space!!!
Yesterday we had Prof. Gong Chen from Nankai Univ! We all were very excited to see his amazingly simple, robust, and smart tools for peptide and protein modifications! We will start using his “magic” solvents/additives in RIKEN’s chemistry! Many thanks Gong!!
March 24, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Yesterday we had Prof. Gong Chen from Nankai Univ! We all were very excited to see his amazingly simple, robust, and smart tools for peptide and protein modifications! We will start using his “magic” solvents/additives in RIKEN’s chemistry! Many thanks Gong!!
伊丹研（理研）では、研究員（講師・助教相当）もしくはポスドクを募集しています！
Itami lab is looking for Research Scientist (equivalent to Lecturer or assistant prof) and/or postdoc!
www.riken.jp/careers/rese...
www.riken.jp/en/careers/r...
Itami lab is looking for Research Scientist (equivalent to Lecturer or assistant prof) and/or postdoc!
www.riken.jp/careers/rese...
www.riken.jp/en/careers/r...
研究員または特別研究員募集 伊丹分子創造研究室（W24346）
www.riken.jp
March 13, 2025 at 7:35 AM
伊丹研（理研）では、研究員（講師・助教相当）もしくはポスドクを募集しています！
Itami lab is looking for Research Scientist (equivalent to Lecturer or assistant prof) and/or postdoc!
www.riken.jp/careers/rese...
www.riken.jp/en/careers/r...
Itami lab is looking for Research Scientist (equivalent to Lecturer or assistant prof) and/or postdoc!
www.riken.jp/careers/rese...
www.riken.jp/en/careers/r...