Key Research Interests

Nucleic Acid Chemistry

Our group creates RNA-based artificial enzymes by uniting molecular design with evolutionary methods.

Over the past decades, RNA has proven to be far more than a passive blueprint for protein synthesis: it carries out diverse regulatory and catalytic roles across the nature. By constructing novel functional RNAs in the laboratory and analyzing how molecular architecture gives rise to activity, we uncover hidden capabilities encoded in nucleic acids and expand the range of chemical reactions that RNA can perform.

Beyond discovery, our catalytic RNAs are translated into practical tools for precise molecular sensing and control. Through iterative design, selection, and structural analysis, we turn fundamental insights in RNA chemistry into real-world impact.