Story
When Chemistry Meets Biology
How molecular design led to an unexpected supramolecular architecture
Beyond Disciplinary Boundaries
Many researchers spend their careers deepening expertise in a single field. Dr. Ayaka Ueda wanted to explore what might happen between disciplines.
“I’ve always been interested in both biology and chemistry,” she says. “One day, I was talking with PRI Chief Scientist Kenichiro Itami about whether we could combine the two to create something entirely new.”
The idea was to bring together two seemingly different molecular building blocks: peptides derived from biological systems and π-extended aromatic molecules, which had long been central to her research in synthetic chemistry.
“Peptides alone weren’t enough for what I wanted to achieve. I wondered whether combining them with π-conjugated molecules could lead to new supramolecular materials.”
Building a collaboration across disciplines
When Dr. Ueda approached a biology laboratory in Germany about analyzing peptide supramolecular assemblies by cryo-EM, no one there had previously worked on such samples.
“At first, we weren’t even sure whether it would be possible to see anything.”
Her first email received no reply for nearly three months. Eventually, she was invited to present the idea, and the collaborators agreed to explore the challenge together.
Several months later, they obtained the first structural model.
“That was the moment I felt we might really be able to see the structure.”
When the final cryo-EM reconstruction was completed, the team gathered around the screen to examine it together.
What they saw exceeded their expectations. The π-conjugated units were clearly resolved, alongside five water channels and highly ordered water molecules that none of the researchers had anticipated.
“We all looked at the images together and kept asking, ‘How can the structure be like this?’ It was an unforgettable moment.”
Soon afterward, the collaborators connected with colleagues in Japan to share the results.
“The excitement wasn’t mine alone. Everyone involved in the project experienced that moment together.”
Why PRI?
For Dr. Ueda, one of PRI’s greatest strengths is its culture of interdisciplinary collaboration.
“Experts in many different fields are always nearby.”
Whenever her research reaches beyond her own expertise, she knows exactly what to do.
“If I run into a problem I can’t solve on my own, there’s always someone I can ask.”
That environment has allowed her to expand her research from synthetic chemistry into biology and structural science.
“Many researchers here simply say, ‘Come and talk anytime,’ or ‘Let’s work on this together.’ New collaborations often begin with a simple conversation.”
Finding your own way in research
Ask Dr. Ueda what advice she would offer young scientists, and her answer is surprisingly simple.
“There isn’t one correct way to do research.”
Throughout her career, she has received valuable advice from many senior researchers, but she has also learned that every scientist develops a different approach.
A message from PRI Director Motoko Kotani has stayed with her.
“She said that researchers have many different ways of living and doing science, and that research itself should also be diverse.”
“I’m still figuring things out myself,” she says. “I think that’s simply part of being a researcher.”
Designing molecules that others can build upon
Although the cryo-EM structure answered important questions about the material itself, Dr. Ueda sees it as the beginning rather than the end of the story.
“I still believe these molecules have much more to reveal, and I want to continue exploring their potential myself. At the same time, my dream is for the molecules we've designed to be used by researchers around the world.”
She hopes scientists in biology, chemistry, materials science, and beyond will discover functions and applications that her own group has not yet imagined.
“The greatest reward would be to see someone use our molecules to make discoveries I could never have predicted.”
By bringing together chemistry, biology, and supramolecular science, she hopes to create molecular platforms that enable new research across disciplines. For her, the ultimate success will not be a single paper, but seeing those molecules become tools that inspire discoveries in laboratories around the world.
Ueda, A., Broutzakis, G., Neuhaus, A. et al. Atomic-precision π-driven peptide hydrogel nanofibers with ordered water channels. Nat Commun 17, 7622 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-75984-9
