The 9th Annual Meeting of the Molecular Robotics Society

Note: The website was updated on March 5, 2026, but if you have already completed participation registration and/or abstract submission, no further action is required.
Participation registration is still available via Peatix.
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■ Basic Information
Title: The 9th Annual Meeting on Molecular Robotics
Date: Thursday, March 12 and Friday, March 13, 2026
Venue: Sakura Hall, Katahira Campus, Tohoku University (Get directions from your current location)

■ Registration (Participation / Presentation) Deadline: Friday, February 20, 2026, 12:00 PM (extended) Abstract submission is now closed.
Presentation/Abstract Submission Form
https://forms.gle/AsvdVVa1ciMNMHor8
Participation Registration Form
https://molbot-fy2025.peatix.com

■ Awards
Student Presentation Award
Young Researcher Encouragement Award (for students and researchers within 5 years of obtaining their Ph.D.)
*Please apply at the time of presentation registration. We encourage you to apply. The Young Researcher Encouragement Award will be selected only from poster presentations.
*Please note that those who have previously received the Young Researcher Encouragement Award (Poster Award) will not be considered in the selection even if they apply this time (multiple awards of the same prize are not permitted).

 

■ Program

March 12, 2026 (13:00–18:30)

• 12:30–13:00  Registration
• 13:00–13:05  Opening Remarks
• 13:05–14:05  Student Presentation Session
  • Mio Osato (Keio University) Control of DNA origami localization in artificial cells using intracellular reaction–diffusion waves
  • Daichi Iwata (Tohoku University) Reversible optical control of mRNA synthesis and cleavage for switching mRNA levels in artificial cells
  • Shun Okada (Nagaoka University of Technology) Construction of liposome structures with multicellular body-like morphologies
  • Momoka Takasawa (Gunma University) Construction of scaffolding proteins using a selective ligation method and protein assembly
  • Haruki Kawase (NICT, Osaka University) Creation of a rotational mechanism using engineered dynein and DNA nanostructures
• 14:05–14:55  Special Lecture 1  Prof. Kingo Takiguchi (Nagoya University)
              “Rail orientation and the number of motors (Important considerations when using the cytoskeleton and molecular motors)”
• 14:55–15:05  Break
• 15:05–15:45  Special Session 1: TBA
• 15:45–15:50  Move
• 15:50–16:35  Poster Session (odd-numbered posters)
• 16:35–17:20  Poster Session (even-numbered posters)
• 17:20–17:30  Break / Move
• 17:30–18:20  Special Lecture 2  Prof. Satoshi Murata (Tohoku University) “Molecular Robotics: Where We Have Come From and Where We Are Going” (tentative)
• 18:20–18:30  Group Photo / Announcements
• 18:30–19:50  Networking Reception

March 13, 2026 (9:00–17:45)

• 09:00–09:30  Registration
• 09:30–10:30  Special Session 2: “Frontiers in Protein Design”
  • Prof. Zukui Peng (Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology) “Creating large membrane peptide nanopores”
  • Prof. Shingo Honda (University of Washington) “Origami with proteins”
• 10:30–10:40  Break
• 10:40–12:10  Special Session 3: “Principles and Design of Molecular Machines”
  • Prof. Shoichi Toriyabe (Tohoku University) “On what it means for molecules to move: What can physics tell us?”
  • Prof. Yoshinori Toyoda (Tohoku University) “Design and development of artificial molecular machines with an eye toward bio-applications”
  • Prof. Kohei Kishida (Tohoku University) “Study of molecular machines for inter-bacterial DNA transport” (tentative)
• 12:10–13:10  Lunch
• 13:10–13:55  Poster Session (last digit 0–4)
• 13:55–14:40  Poster Session (last digit 5–9)
• 14:40–14:50  Break / Move
• 14:50–15:00  Sponsor Company Presentations
• 15:00–16:00  Toward the Social Implementation of Molecular Robots
  • Prof. Ichiro Yoneda (University of Yamanashi) “Monitoring bacterial contamination and assessing health risks in aquatic environments”
  • Prof. Keita Nakayama (Waseda University) “Issue structure of product safety under scientific uncertainty of causality and a precautionary approach: Case studies of nano/microplastic pollution and PFAS contamination”
• 16:00–16:10  Break
• 16:10–17:15  General Oral Presentations
  • Prof. Kazunori Matsuura (Tottori University) “Optical control of liposome deformation/assembly and RNA liquid–liquid phase separation using photoresponsive peptides”
  • Prof. Yoshihiro Shimizu (RIKEN) “Ribosome assembly”
• 17:15–17:45  General Assembly / Closing Ceremony / Award Ceremony