Prof. Dr. Motomu Tanaka

Institute of Physical Chemistry
Physical Chemistry of Biosystems
Heidelberg University
69120 Heidelberg, Germany

Phone: +49 6221-54 4916
E-Mail

FIELDS OF INTEREST

Physics of biological matter, physical chemistry of soft interfaces, quantitative modeling of diseases and development, functionalization of semiconductor devices for novel biomolecular electronics

AWARDS & HONORS

2014 Siebold Prize from German President
2012–2013 Visiting Professor, Department of Physics, Kyoto University
2012 Scientific Committe, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
2010 External Advisory Board, Institute for Integrated Cell and Material Science, Kyoto University
2009–2012 Program Committe, Institute Laue Langevin
2001 Emmy Noether Fellow, German Science Foundation
1999 Postdoctoral Fellow, Humboldt Foundatione
1998 Postdoctoral Fellow, Japan Society for Promotion of Science
1997 International Mobility Fellowship, Finnish Academy
1997 Doctoral Fellowship, Japan Society of Promotion of Science
2013–present Research Professor (cross-appointment), Institute for Integrated Cell and Material Sciences (iCeMS), Kyoto University
2005-present Professor, Physical Chemistry of Biosystems, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Heidelberg University
2005 Habilitation in Experimental Physics, Technical University Munich
2004 Invited Lecturer, Department of Physics, Kyoto, University
2001–2005 Independent Group Leader (Emmy Noether Fellow), Department ofPhysics, Technical University Munich
2001 Invited Scholar, Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University
1998–2001 PostDoc, Department of Physics, Technical UniversityMunich, Germany
1995–1998 PhD, Department of Molecular Engineering, Kyoto University
1993–1995 M.S. Department of Molecular Engineering, Kyoto University
1989–1993 B.S. Physical Chemistry, Kyoto University, Japan
2021 Expert Committee, KIT Center Materials in Technical and Life Sciences
2018 – present Coordinating Committee, Cluster of Excellence “3D Matter Made to Order”
2016, 2019 Academic Coordinator, International Kyoto Winter School “From Materials to Life” Kyoto
2012-2014 Program Committee Member, “Soft Condensed Matter”, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
2011-2014 Scientific Council Member, College 8 (Biology), Institute Laue Langevin
 2012-2016 German Coordinator, EU FP7 “SoftActive”
 2012 Coordinator, International Summer School “Unraveling Principles of Life with Quantitative Tools” Heidelberg
 2010-2012 International Advisor, World Premier International Center Program, MEXT, Japan

Fröhlich B, Dasanna A, Lansche Czajor J, Sanchez C, Lanzer M, Cyrklaff M, Yamamoto A, Craig A, Schwarz US, Lanzer M, Tanaka M. 2020. Functionalized supported membranes forquantifying adhesion of P. falciparum-infectederythrocytes. Biophys. J. 120:3315-3328

Fröhlich B, Yang Y, Thoma J, Czajor J, Lansche C, Sanchez C, Lanzer M, Cloetens P, Tanaka M. 2020. Nanofocused Scanning X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy Revealing an Effect of Heterozygous Hemoglobin S and C on Biochemical Activities in Plasmodium falciparum-Infected Erythrocytes. Anal. Chem. 92:5765-5771

Hippler M, Weißenbruch K, Richler K, Lemma ED, Nakahata M, Richter B, Barner-Kowollik C, Takashima Y, Harada A, Blasco E, Wegener M, Tanaka M, Bastmeyer M. 2020. Mechanical stimulation of single cells by reversible host-guest interactions in 3D microscaffolds. Sci. Adv. 6:eabc2648

Kubota R, Makuta M, Suzuki R, Ichikawa M, Tanaka M, Hamachi I. 2020. Force generation by a propagating wave of supramolecular nanofibers. Nat. Commun. 11:3541

Fröhlich B, Jäger J, Lansche C, Sanchez CP, Cyrklaff M, Buchholz B, Soubeiga ST, Simpore J, Ito H, Schwarz US, Lanzer M, Tanaka M. 2019. Hemoglobin S and C affect biomechanical membrane properties of P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes. Commun. Biol. 2:311

Yamamoto A, Tanaka H, Toda M, Sotozono C, Hamuro J, Kinoshita S, Ueno M, Tanaka M. 2019. A physical biomarker of the quality of cultured corneal endothelial cells and of the long-term prognosis of corneal restoration in patients. Nat. Biomed. Eng. 3:953-960

Lamas-Murua M, Stolp B, Kaw S, Thoma J, Tsopoulidis N, Trautz B, Ambiel I, Reif T, Arora S, Imle A, Tibroni N, Wu J, Cui G, Stein JV, Tanaka M, Lyck R, Fackler OT. 2018. HIV-1 Nef Disrupts CD4+ T Lymphocyte Polarity, Extravasation, and Homing to Lymph Nodes via Its Nef-Associated Kinase Complex Interface. J. Immunol. 201:2731-2743

Ito H, Murakami R, Sakuma S, Tsai CHD, Gutsmann T, Brandenburg K, Pöschl JMB, Arai F, Kaneko M, Tanaka M. 2017. Mechanical diagnosis of human erythrocytes by ultra-high speed manipulation unraveled critical time window for global cytoskeletal remodeling. Sci. Rep. 7:43134

Rieger H, Yoshikawa HY, Quadt K, Nielsen MA, Sanchez CP, Salanti A, Tanaka M, Lanzer M. 2015. Cytoadhesion of Plasmodium falciparum–infected erythrocytes to chondroitin-4-sulfate is cooperative and shear enhanced. Blood. 125:383-391

Tanaka M, Sackmann. 2005. Polymer-supported membranes as the model of cell surfaces. Nature. 437:656-663

Click here for further publications.