WATARU NOMURA

Last Updated :2025/06/25

Affiliations, Positions
Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Professor
E-mail
wnomurahiroshima-u.ac.jp
Self-introduction
In my research, I am interested in genome editing technology, protein engineering, and fluorescence imaging technology, with the aim of creating functional proteins that have never existed before, which will lead to developing new screening technologies and research methods using these proteins. Genome editing technology can rewrite genes that can be used in various organisms, and is expected to be applied in various industries such as medicine, agriculture and livestock industry. We expect that the development of more accurate and safer methods will lead to a wider range of applications.

Basic Information

Major Professional Backgrounds

  • 2002/04, 2005/03, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Research Fellow, JSPS
  • 2005/04, 2007/07, The Scripps Research Institute, Research Associate
  • 2007/08, 2011/12, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Assistant Professor
  • 2012/01, 2013/03, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Junior Associate Professor
  • 2013/04, 2019/03, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Associate Professor
  • 2019/04, Hiroshima University, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Professor

Educational Backgrounds

  • Kyoto University, Japan, 2002/04, 2005/03
  • Kyoto University, Japan, 2000/04, 2002/03
  • Kyoto University, Japan, 1996/04, 2000/03

Academic Degrees

  • Kyoto University

Educational Activity

Course in Charge

  1. 2025, Undergraduate Education, 3Term, Biochemistry I
  2. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Intensive, Biochemistry I
  3. 2025, Undergraduate Education, 2Term, Functional Morphology
  4. 2025, Undergraduate Education, 2Term, Biological Chemistry IV
  5. 2025, Undergraduate Education, 3Term, Introduction to Pharmaceutical Sciences
  6. 2025, Undergraduate Education, First Semester, Research Practice A
  7. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Second Semester, Research Practice B
  8. 2025, Undergraduate Education, First Semester, Practice of Biochemical Pharmacology
  9. 2025, Undergraduate Education, 2Term, Physiological Chemistry
  10. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Intensive, Physiological Chemistry
  11. 2025, Undergraduate Education, 3Term, Japanese Pharmacopoeia
  12. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Second Semester, Experiments of Biological Chemistry
  13. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Year, Special laboratory Works in Pharmaceutical Sciences I
  14. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Year, Special laboratory Works in Pharmaceutical Sciences II
  15. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Second Semester, Special laboratory Works in Pharmaceutical Sciences III
  16. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Year, Special laboratory Works in Clinical Pharmacy I
  17. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Year, Special laboratory Works in Clinical Pharmacy II
  18. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Year, Special laboratory Works in Clinical Pharmacy III
  19. 2025, Liberal Arts Education Program1, 1Term, Introductory Seminar for First-Year Students
  20. 2025, Graduate Education (Doctoral Program) , First Semester, Advanced Seminar on Physiological Chemistry
  21. 2025, Graduate Education (Doctoral Program) , Second Semester, Advanced Seminar on Physiological Chemistry
  22. 2025, Graduate Education (Doctoral Program) , First Semester, Advanced Research on Physiological Chemistry
  23. 2025, Graduate Education (Doctoral Program) , Second Semester, Advanced Research on Physiological Chemistry
  24. 2025, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , First Semester, Lecture on Medicinal Science
  25. 2025, Graduate Education (Doctoral Program) , First Semester, Advanced Lecture on Medicinal Science
  26. 2025, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , 3Term, Lecture on Mechanisms of Signal Transduction
  27. 2025, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , First Semester, Seminar on Mechanisms of Signal Transduction
  28. 2025, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , Second Semester, Seminar on Mechanisms of Signal Transduction
  29. 2025, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , First Semester, Research on Mechanisms of Signal Transduction
  30. 2025, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , Second Semester, Research on Mechanisms of Signal Transduction
  31. 2025, Graduate Education (Doctoral Program) , First Semester, Advanced Seminar on Physiological Chemistry for Medicinal Sciences
  32. 2025, Graduate Education (Doctoral Program) , Second Semester, Advanced Seminar on Physiological Chemistry for Medicinal Sciences
  33. 2025, Graduate Education (Doctoral Program) , First Semester, Advanced Research on Physiological Chemistry for Medicinal Sciences
  34. 2025, Graduate Education (Doctoral Program) , Second Semester, Advanced Research on Physiological Chemistry for Medicinal Sciences
  35. 2025, Graduate Education (Doctoral Program) , 3Term, Trends of Genome Editing in Life Science

Research Activities

Academic Papers

  1. SpCas9-HF1 enhances accuracy of cell cycle-dependent genome editing by increasing HDR efficiency, and by reducing off-target effects and indel rates, Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids, 35(1), 20240312
  2. Engineering of Zinc Finger Nucleases Through Structural Modeling Improves Genome Editing Efficiency in Cells, Advanced Science, 11(23), 20240619
  3. Discovery of Potent DAG-Lactone Derivatives as HIV Latency Reversing Agents, ACS Infectious Diseases, 10(6), 2250-2261, 20240614
  4. Engineering of Zinc Finger Nucleases Through Structural Modeling Improves Genome Editing Efficiency in Cells, ADVANCED SCIENCE, 11(23), 202406
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  5. CRISPRa Analysis of Phosphoinositide Phosphatases Shows That TMEM55A Is a Positive Regulator of Autophagy, BIOLOGICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN, 47(6), 1148-1153, 202406
  6. Discovery of Potent DAG-Lactone Derivatives as HIV Latency Reversing Agents, ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES, 10(6), 2250-2261, 20240521
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  7. Effect of Two-Photon Excitation to 8-Azacoumarin Derivatives as Photolabile Protecting Groups, CHEMICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN, 72(3), 311-312, 202403
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  8. Effects of Polymeric Materials on Activation of THP-1 Cell-derived Macrophages during Differentiation Induced by PMA, ADVANCED BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, 13, 1-10, 2024
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  9. Evaluation of Proinflammatory Response to Polymeric Materials Using a Macrophage Cell Line Genetically Tagged with a Luminescent Peptide, ADVANCED BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, 13, 43-51, 2024
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  10. SpCas9-HF1 enhances accuracy of cell cycle-dependent genome editing by increasing HDR efficiency, and by reducing off-target effects and indel rates, MOLECULAR THERAPY NUCLEIC ACIDS, 35(1), 20240312
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  11. Development of the 8-aza-3-bromo-7-hydroxycoumarin-4-ylmethyl group as a new entry of photolabile protecting groups, Tetrahedron, 70(29), 4400-4404, 20140722
  12. Development of a fluoride-responsive amide bond cleavage device that is potentially applicable to a traceable linker, Tetrahedron, 70(34), 5122-5127, 20140826
  13. Development of site-specific DNA methylase for epigenetic regulation of gene expression, Seikagaku, 82(5), 393-397, 20101201
  14. Significant effect of linker sequence on DNA recognition by multi-zinc finger protein, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 282(4), 1001-1007, 20010101
  15. Multiconnection of identical zinc finger: Implication for DNA binding affinity and unit modulation of the three zinc finger domain, Biochemistry, 40(9), 2932-2941, 20010306
  16. The history of genome editing: advances from the interface of chemistry & biology, CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS, 59(50), 7676-7684, 20230620
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  17. The past, present, and future of artificial zinc finger proteins: design strategies and chemical and biological applications, JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, 28(3), 249-261, 202304
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  18. Cas9-Geminin and Cdt1-fused anti-CRISPR protein synergistically increase editing accuracy, FEBS LETTERS, 597(7), 985-994, 202304
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  19. Interconversion between serine and aspartic acid in the alpha helix of the N-terminal zinc finger of Sp1: implication for general recognition code and for design of novel zinc finger peptide recognizing complementary strand., Biochemistry, 41(28), 2002
  20. Influence of TFIIIA-type linker at the N- or C-terminal of nine-zinc finger protein on DNA-binding site., Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 300(1), 2003
  21. Effects of length and position of an extended linker on sequence-selective DNA recognition of zinc finger peptides., Biochemistry, 42(50), 2003
  22. Effects of linking 15-zinc finger domains on DNA binding specificity and multiple DNA binding modes., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters, 15(9), 2005
  23. Design and synthesis of artificial zinc finger proteins., Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 352, 2007
  24. In vivo site-specific DNA methylation with a designed sequence-enabled DNA methylase., Journal of the American Chemical Society, 129(28), 2007
  25. Fluorophore labeling enables imaging and evaluation of specific CXCR4-ligand interaction at the cell membrane for fluorescence-based screening., Bioconjugate chemistry, 19(9), 2008
  26. Structure-activity relationship study of CXCR4 antagonists bearing the cyclic pentapeptide scaffold: identification of the new pharmacophore., Organic & biomolecular chemistry, 6(23), 2008
  27. Synthesis of protein kinase Cdelta C1b domain by native chemical ligation methodology and characterization of its folding and ligand binding., Journal of peptide science : an official publication of the European Peptide Society, 15(10), 2009
  28. Structure-activity relationship study on artificial CXCR4 ligands possessing the cyclic pentapeptide scaffold: the exploration of amino acid residues of pentapeptides by substitutions of several aromatic amino acids., Organic & biomolecular chemistry, 7(18), 2009
  29. Exploratory studies on development of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 antagonists toward downsizing., Perspectives in medicinal chemistry, 2, 2008
  30. Fluorogenically active leucine zipper peptides as tag-probe pairs for protein imaging in living cells., Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English), 48(48), 2009
  31. CD4 mimics targeting the mechanism of HIV entry., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters, 20(1), 2010
  32. Remodeling of dynamic structures of HIV-1 envelope proteins leads to synthetic antigen molecules inducing neutralizing antibodies., Bioconjugate chemistry, 21(4), 2010
  33. [Development of site-specific DNA methylase for epigenetic regulation of gene expression]., Seikagaku. The Journal of Japanese Biochemical Society, 82(5), 2010
  34. Development of crosslink-type tag-probe pairs for fluorescent imaging of proteins., Biopolymers, 94(6), 2010
  35. Peptide HIV-1 integrase inhibitors from HIV-1 gene products., Journal of medicinal chemistry, 53(14), 2010
  36. Peptidic HIV integrase inhibitors derived from HIV gene products: structure-activity relationship studies., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 18(18), 2010
  37. CD4 mimics targeting the HIV entry mechanism and their hybrid molecules with a CXCR4 antagonist., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters, 20(19), 2010
  38. Bivalent ligands of CXCR4 with rigid linkers for elucidation of the dimerization state in cells., Journal of the American Chemical Society, 132(45), 2010
  39. Fluorescent-responsive synthetic C1b domains of protein kinase Cδ as reporters of specific high-affinity ligand binding., Bioconjugate chemistry, 22(1), 2011
  40. Azamacrocyclic metal complexes as CXCR4 antagonists., ChemMedChem, 6(5), 2011
  41. Intense blue fluorescence in a leucine zipper assembly., Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology, 12(5), 2011
  42. Fluorescence-quenching screening of protein kinase C ligands with an environmentally sensitive fluorophore., Bioconjugate chemistry, 22(5), 2011
  43. Small molecular CD4 mimics as HIV entry inhibitors., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 19(22), 2011
  44. Synthetic caged DAG-lactones for photochemically controlled activation of protein kinase C., Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology, 12(4), 2011
  45. A synthetic C34 trimer of HIV-1 gp41 shows significant increase in inhibition potency., ChemMedChem, 7(2), 2012
  46. Conjugation of cell-penetrating peptides leads to identification of anti-HIV peptides from matrix proteins., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 20(4), 2012
  47. Effects of DNA binding of the zinc finger and linkers for domain fusion on the catalytic activity of sequence-specific chimeric recombinases determined by a facile fluorescent system., Biochemistry, 51(7), 2012
  48. Evaluation of a synthetic C34 trimer of HIV-1 gp41 as AIDS vaccines., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 20(10), 2012
  49. Pharmacophore-based small molecule CXCR4 ligands., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters, 22(12), 2012
  50. The successes and failures of HIV drug discovery., Expert opinion on drug discovery, 6(10), 2011
  51. Low-molecular-weight CXCR4 ligands with variable spacers., ChemMedChem, 8(1), 2013
  52. A future perspective on the development of chemokine receptor CXCR4 antagonists., Expert opinion on drug discovery, 3(10), 2008
  53. CD4 mimics as HIV entry inhibitors: lead optimization studies of the aromatic substituents., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 21(9), 2013
  54. Multimerized CHR-derived peptides as HIV-1 fusion inhibitors., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 21(15), 2013
  55. Peptide-based ligand screening and functional analysis of protein kinase C., Biopolymers, 100(6), 2013
  56. Cell-permeable stapled peptides based on HIV-1 integrase inhibitors derived from HIV-1 gene products., ACS chemical biology, 8(10), 2013
  57. Anti-HIV-1 peptide derivatives based on the HIV-1 Co-receptor CXCR4., ChemMedChem, 8(10), 2013
  58. CXCR4-derived synthetic peptides inducing anti-HIV-1 antibodies., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 21(22), 2013
  59. A CD4 mimic as an HIV entry inhibitor: pharmacokinetics., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 21(24), 2013
  60. Development of a traceable linker containing a thiol-responsive amino acid for the enrichment and selective labelling of target proteins., Organic & biomolecular chemistry, 12(23), 2014
  61. Screening for protein kinase C ligands using fluorescence resonance energy transfer., Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin, 62(10), 2014
  62. [Chemical biology for pharmaceutical science--integrative approaches for elucidation of biological phenomena]., Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, 135(3), 2015
  63. [Application and potential of genome engineering by artificial enzymes]., Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, 135(3), 2015
  64. An in-cell fluorogenic Tag-probe system for protein dynamics imaging enabled by cell-penetrating peptides., Bioconjugate chemistry, 26(6), 2015
  65. Anti-HIV screening for cell-penetrating peptides using chloroquine and identification of anti-HIV peptides derived from matrix proteins., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 23(15), 2015
  66. Trivalent ligands for CXCR4 bearing polyproline linkers show specific recognition for cells with increased CXCR4 expression., Organic & biomolecular chemistry, 13(32), 2015
  67. Exploration of labeling by near infrared dyes of the polyproline linker for bivalent-type CXCR4 ligands., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 23(21), 2015
  68. Utilization of the Heavy Atom Effect for the Development of a Photosensitive 8-Azacoumarin-Type Photolabile Protecting Group., Organic letters, 17(21), 2015
  69. Multimerized HIV-gp41-derived peptides as fusion inhibitors and vaccines., Biopolymers, 106(4), 2016
  70. A minimally cytotoxic CD4 mimic as an HIV entry inhibitor., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters, 26(2), 2016
  71. Small-Molecule CD4 Mimics Containing Mono-cyclohexyl Moieties as HIV Entry Inhibitors., ChemMedChem, 11(8), 2016
  72. Functional evaluation of fluorescein-labeled derivatives of a peptide inhibitor of the EGF receptor dimerization., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 24(16), 2016
  73. Development of anti-HIV peptides based on a viral capsid protein., Biopolymers, 108(1), 2017
  74. Bivalent 14-mer peptide ligands of CXCR4 with polyproline linkers with anti-chemotactic activity against Jurkat cells., Journal of peptide science : an official publication of the European Peptide Society, 23(7-8), 2017
  75. Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Azacoumarin Fluorophores and the Fluorescence Characterization., The Journal of organic chemistry, 82(5), 2017
  76. Synthesis and Evaluation of Dimeric Derivatives of Diacylglycerol-Lactones as Protein Kinase C Ligands., Bioconjugate chemistry, 28(8), 2017
  77. Synthesis of a Chloroalkene Dipeptide Isostere-Containing Peptidomimetic and Its Biological Application., ACS medicinal chemistry letters, 9(1), 2018
  78. [ZIP tag-probe system: A fluorescence imaging tool for intercellular proteins]., Seikagaku. The Journal of Japanese Biochemical Society, 89(1), 2017
  79. Delivery of a Proapoptotic Peptide to EGFR-Positive Cancer Cells by a Cyclic Peptide Mimicking the Dimerization Arm Structure of EGFR., Bioconjugate chemistry, 29(6), 2018
  80. Development of Toolboxes for Precision Genome/Epigenome Editing and Imaging of Epigenetics., Chemical record (New York, N.Y.), 18(12), 2018
  81. Efficient and Orthogonal Transcription Regulation by Chemically Inducible Artificial Transcription Factors., Biochemistry, 57(45), 2018
  82. Inhibition of EGFR Activation by Bivalent Ligands Based on a Cyclic Peptide Mimicking the Dimerization Arm Structure of EGFR., Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin, 66(11), 2018
  83. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of low molecular weight CXCR4 ligands., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 27(6), 2019
  84. Dimeric C34 Derivatives Linked through Disulfide Bridges as New HIV-1 Fusion Inhibitors., Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology, 20(16), 2019
  85. Introducing "Future of Biochemistry 2020: The Asia-Pacific Issue", BIOCHEMISTRY, 59(1), 1-7, 2020
  86. ★, TALEN-Based Chemically Inducible, Dimerization-Dependent, Sequence-Specific Nucleases, Biochemistry, 59(2), 197-204, 20200121
  87. Synthesis of hydrophilic caged DAG-lactones for chemical biology applications, Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, 18(22), 4217-4223, 20200614
  88. Development of a NanoBRET-Based Sensitive Screening Method for CXCR4 Ligands, BIOCONJUGATE CHEMISTRY, 30(5), 1442-1450, 2019
  89. A minimally cytotoxic CD4 mimic as an HIV entry inhibitor, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 26(2), 397-400, 20160115
  90. Small-Molecule CD4 Mimics Containing Mono-cyclohexyl Moieties as HIV Entry Inhibitors, ChemMedChem, 11(8), 940-946, 20160419
  91. Multimerized HIV-gp41-derived peptides as fusion inhibitors and vaccines, Biopolymers, 622-628, 20161104
  92. Development of anti-HIV peptides based on a viral capsid protein, Biopolymers, 108(1), 20170101
  93. Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Azacoumarin Fluorophores and the Fluorescence Characterization, Journal of Organic Chemistry, 82(5), 2739-2744, 20170303
  94. Bivalent 14-mer peptide ligands of CXCR4 with polyproline linkers with anti-chemotactic activity against Jurkat cells, Journal of Peptide Science, 23(7-8), 574-580, 20170701
  95. Synthesis and Evaluation of Dimeric Derivatives of Diacylglycerol-Lactones as Protein Kinase C Ligands, Bioconjugate Chemistry, 28(8), 2135-2144, 20170816
  96. Creation of functional molecules based on biomolecular interactions; development toward chemical biology, Yakugaku Zasshi, 137(10), 1223-1231, 20170101
  97. ZIP tag-probe system: A fluorescence imaging tool for intercellular proteins, Seikagaku, 89(1), 115-120, 20170101
  98. Synthesis of a Chloroalkene Dipeptide Isostere-Containing Peptidomimetic and Its Biological Application, ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 9(1), 7-11, 20180111
  99. Delivery of a Proapoptotic Peptide to EGFR-Positive Cancer Cells by a Cyclic Peptide Mimicking the Dimerization Arm Structure of EGFR, Bioconjugate Chemistry, 29(6), 2050-2057, 20180620
  100. Development of Toolboxes for Precision Genome/Epigenome Editing and Imaging of Epigenetics, Chemical Record, 18(12), 1717-1726, 20181201
  101. Inhibition of EGFR activation by bivalent ligands based on a cyclic peptide mimicking the dimerization arm structure of EGFR, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 66(11), 1083-1089, 20180101
  102. Efficient and Orthogonal Transcription Regulation by Chemically Inducible Artificial Transcription Factors, Biochemistry, 57(45), 6452-6459, 20181113
  103. Benzolactam-related compounds promote apoptosis of HIV-infected human cells via protein kinase C–induced HIV latency reversal, Journal of Biological Chemistry, 294(1), 116-129, 20190104
  104. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of low molecular weight CXCR4 ligands, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, 27(6), 1130-1138, 20190315
  105. Development of a NanoBRET-based sensitive screening method for CXCR4 ligands, Bioconjugate Chemistry, 30(5), 1442-1450, 20190515
  106. Dimeric C34 Derivatives Linked through Disulfide Bridges as New HIV-1 Fusion Inhibitors, ChemBioChem, 20(16), 2101-2108, 20190101
  107. ★, A cell cycle-dependent CRISPR-Cas9 activation system based on an anti-CRISPR protein shows improved genome editing accuracy, Communications Biology, 3(1), 20201201
  108. Discovery of a Macropinocytosis-Inducing Peptide Potentiated by Medium-Mediated Intramolecular Disulfide Formation, ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION, 60(21), 11928-11936, 20210517
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  109. ★, Molecular Switch Engineering for Precise Genome Editing, BIOCONJUGATE CHEMISTRY, 32(4), 639-648, 20210421
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  110. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based screening for protein kinase C ligands using 6-methoxynaphthalene-labeled 1,2-diacylglycerol-lactones, ORGANIC & BIOMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY, 19(38), 8264-8271, 20211006
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI

Awards

  1. 2016/09/17, Young Investigator Award, Japanese Pharmaceutical Society, Kanto-branch, 生体分子間相互作用を基盤とする機能分子の創製とケミカルバイオロジーへの展開
  2. 2013/11/08, Young Investigator Award, Japanese Peptide Society, Development of Peptide-derived Molecular Probes and Inhibitors Based on the Interactions with Biomacromolecules