As a 2024 Schmidt Science Fellow, Takumi aims to better understand self-regulation mechanisms within cells.
Without their self-regulating properties, proteins inside cells can clump together, potentially leading to severe conditions like ALS and Alzheimer’s disease. Inside cells, droplets of biomolecules form and dissolve, regulating vital processes from gene transcription to energy consumption. But this mechanism is not well understood.
Takumi’s research aims to mimic these biomolecular droplets in a simpler system and reproduce their self-regulating behavior. If successful, the work could help address issues caused by protein clumping and aid drug delivery.
Interdisciplinary Pivot: Condensed Matter Physics to Biophysics