Dr. Uchida received a Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry from Kyoto University, Japan, where
he studied inorganic materials for bone substitutes under the guidance of Professor
Tadashi Kokubo. He was then awarded a post-doctoral fellowship of the Japan Society
for the Promotion of Science to research biomimetic synthesis of hydroxyapatite-protein
composites in the laboratory of Dr. Atsuo Ito at the National Institute of Advanced
Industrial Science and Technology, Japan. He subsequently joined the laboratory of
Professor Trevor Douglas at Montana State University, where he studied the use of
cage-like proteins as supramolecular templates for nanomaterials synthesis. Prior
to joining California State University, Fresno in 2018, he was an Associate Scientist
at Indiana University.
Research
Research in the Uchida laboratory is at the interface of materials, inorganic, and
biological chemistry. Dr. Uchida’s research interest lie in the development of new
materials on the basis of bioinspired approaches. His current research involves exploring
proteins as platforms for developing novel materials across multiple length scales
from nano to macro.
1)Utilization of protein cages as platforms for making functional nanoparticles
Cage-like proteins such as viral capsids and ferritin have been considered as promising
platforms for developing functional nanomaterials due largely to the following reasons:
1) As the protein cages are gene products, their size and structure are extremely
homogeneous, 2) The interior cavity of cages can be utilized for templated synthesis
of well defined nanoparticles, and 3) They accommodate the introduction of functionality
such as cell-targeting capability, either chemically and genetically. The Uchida laboratory
is developing protein cage architectures as a means to encapsulate and sequester guest
molecules including inorganic nanoparticles as well as organic molecules and proteins.
These nanomaterials have a great potential with a range of applications from catalysis
to biomedicine.
2) Construction of three-dimensional array materials self-assembled form protein building
blocks
Construction of higher order structures via controlled assembly of nano-scale building
blocks in colloidal solutions have drawn significant interest because such array materials
possess the potential to exhibit collective behaviors and emergent properties beyond
those of the individual building blocks. Protein cage nanoparticles are ideal building
blocks with which to construct higher order assemblies. This is, in part, because
the size and structure of the protein cages nanoparticles are very homogeneous and
a wide range of functionalities can be imparted into the particles. The Uchida laboratory
is working to establish strategies to control assembly of protein cage building blocks
into ordered arrays. This study will provide pioneering insights to the development
of protein based array materials with collective functionality.
Teaching
Dr. Uchida teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses in inorganic chemistry
and biochemistry such as CHEM 123, 155A, and 222. He also directs students working
on research projects in his laboratory.
Development of new materials for biomedical and catalytic applications through biomimetic
and bioinspired approaches. Construction of three dimensional array materials from
nanoscale building blocks using self-assembly process.
