News and Announcements from the Polymer Circular Chemistry Laboratory (Before June 2025)
[Upcoming Presentations] Prof. Fukushima to Present Research at PPC19 (July 9, 14:45–15:00) and the 54th Biomedical Polymer Symposium (July 22, 17:20–17:40) (June 24, 2025)
Prof. Fukushima will present his research entitled "Enhanced Physical Properties and Degradability of Aliphatic Polycarbonates Functionalized by Self-Assembly and Side-Chain Modification" in Session S-1 at the Pacific Polymer Conference (PPC19), which will be held at the Kitakyushu International Conference Center from July 6 (Sun.) to July 10 (Thu.), 2025 (July 9, 14:45–15:00). https://main.spsj.or.jp/ppc19/index.html In addition, at the 54th Biomedical Polymer Symposium, which will be held at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Waterfront Center on July 22–23, 2025, he will give Presentation No. 15, entitled "Bio-Surface Properties of Polylactides End-Functionalized with Cholesterol-Containing Fork-Shaped Mesogens" (July 22, 17:20–17:40). https://member.spsj.or.jp/event/index.php?id=686 We welcome all interested participants.Review Article Published (June 24, 2025)
A review article summarizing Prof. Fukushima's research achievements in organocatalytic polymer degradation and the development of degradable polymers has been published in Polymer Journal. This invited article was contributed in recognition of his receipt of the 2023 Society of Polymer Science, Japan Asahi Kasei Award. The article is published as Open Access and is freely available to all readers.Master's Student Koya Katsurada Received an Outstanding Presentation Award (June 24, 2025)
Mr. Koya Katsurada, a first-year master's student in our laboratory, received an Outstanding Presentation Award at the 1st Workshop on Circular Electronic Materials and Devices, held at Maholova Minds Miura on June 16–17, 2025. This is the first award received by a member of our laboratory.Participation in the First COI-NEXT General Meeting of FY2025 (June 24, 2025)
On June 4, 2025, the First Resource Circulation Co-Creation Meeting of FY2025 was held at Kyoto University Shiran Kaikan as part of the JST COI-NEXT Program, "Bio-Industry Creation Hub through the Development of a Zero-Carbon Bioeconomy" (Lead Institution: Kyoto University; Program Leader: Prof. Keiji Numata). Prof. Fukushima and three master's students from the Fukushima Laboratory attended the meeting. Beginning this fiscal year, Prof. Fukushima has joined the COI-NEXT program as the research and development leader of the Kyoto Institute of Technology team. https://www.zero-carbon.saci.kyoto-u.ac.jp/news/1373/Prof. Fukushima Delivered a Lecture at Tokyo Metropolitan University (June 24, 2025)
On April 18, 2025, Prof. Fukushima gave a lecture entitled "Degradation-Oriented Design of Condensation Polymers for a Circular Society" at the 367th Chemistry Colloquium of the Department of Chemistry, Tokyo Metropolitan University (hosted by Prof. Kazuhiro Nomura). https://www.chem.se.tmu.ac.jp/blog/20250404-1230/New Members Joined the Laboratory (Apr. 4, 2025)
The first cohort of Fukushima Laboratory students at Kyoto Institute of Technology has joined the group: one fourth-year undergraduate student and three first-year master's students. Meet the members of the Fukushima Laboratory here.Prof. Fukushima Appointed to the Editorial Advisory Board of ACS Applied Polymer Materials (Apr. 4, 2025)
Prof. Fukushima has been appointed to the Editorial Advisory Board of ACS Applied Polymer Materials, a journal published by the American Chemical Society. https://pubs.acs.org/page/aapmcd/editors.htmlProf. Fukushima to Deliver an Invited Lecture at the 105th CSJ Annual Meeting (Mar. 27, 2025, 9:05–9:35, [E]F402-2am-01) (Mar. 26, 2025)
Prof. Fukushima will deliver an invited lecture at the Symposium "Co-Innovation Program (CIP): Polymer Science for a Sustainable Society" during the 105th Annual Meeting of the Chemical Society of Japan, which will be held at Kansai University Senriyama Campus from March 26 to 29, 2025. Interested participants are welcome to attend.March 27, 2025 (Thu.), 9:05–9:35
[E]F402-2am-01
Lecture Title: Functional Control of Degradable Polymers for Sustainable Material Applications
Research Article Published (Feb. 26, 2025)
A research article on the biofunctionalization of polylactides bearing fork-shaped liquid crystalline moieties at both chain ends has been published in ACS Applied Polymer Materials. This work was conducted while Prof. Fukushima was a member of the Takashi Kato Laboratory at The University of Tokyo.Prof. Fukushima to Present Patented Technology at the JST New Technology Presentation Meeting (Online, Feb. 13, 2025; Free of Charge) (Jan. 20, 2025)
At the JST Future Society Creation Project New Technology Presentation Meeting, to be held online on February 13, 2025, Prof. Fukushima will introduce the patented technology "Biobased Aliphatic Polycarbonates with Controllable Service Temperature and Degradability," developed through the project in which he serves as principal investigator. This live event includes a separate 30-minute session for technical consultation and questions following the presentation. We welcome all interested participants.Details: https://shingi.jst.go.jp/list/list_2024/2024_mirai1.html
Registration: https://jst-shingi.smktg.jp/public/seminar/view/10958
Prof. Fukushima to Participate in the NEDO Young Researcher Support Program Online Matching Event (Dec. 12, 2024; Free of Charge) (Nov. 19, 2024)
As part of the NEDO Program for Discovering and Supporting Young Researchers through Industry–Academia Collaboration, under which Prof. Fukushima's proposal has been selected, a free online matching event aimed at promoting collaborative research with industry will be held on December 12, 2024, from 13:00 to 17:30. During the event, Prof. Fukushima will give a pitch presentation, after which meetings with interested companies can be arranged through a dedicated website. We welcome all interested participants.Event Details: https://wakasapo.nedo.go.jp/events/matchingevent2024/
Registration: https://client.eventhub.jp/form/70a83165-57ef-4139-b4da-2e2ffdedabdc/formprofile
Prof. Fukushima to Present at the JST CREST/PRESTO Joint Public Symposium on "Degradation and Stabilization" and "Sustainable Materials" (Online, Dec. 13–14, 2024; Free of Charge) (Nov. 19, 2024)
A public symposium of the JST PRESTO research area "Sustainable Materials," in which Prof. Fukushima serves as principal investigator, will be held online and free of charge on December 13, 2024. As a researcher selected in FY2021, Prof. Fukushima will present his research achievements in an oral presentation. We welcome all interested participants.Program Details: https://www.jst.go.jp/kisoken/sympo/bunkai2024_sympo.pdf
Registration: https://form2.jst.go.jp/s/bunkai_webinar_2024
Launch of a New CREST Project with Prof. Fukushima as Principal Collaborating Researcher (Oct. 4, 2024)
A new JST CREST project entitled "Creation of Circular Semiconductor Integrated Circuits" (Principal Investigator: Prof. Toshihiro Okamoto, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology), in which Prof. Fukushima participates as a principal collaborating researcher, has been selected as a FY2024 project under the research area "Innovative Integration of Materials Creation and Circular Processes" (Research Supervisor: Prof. Tomonaga Okabe, Tohoku University). The proposal was selected with a success rate of 8.8%. The project period runs from October 2024 to March 2030. (Official announcement: September 17, 2024)Reference URL: https://www.jst.go.jp/kisoken/crest/application/2024/240917/240917.html
Selected for the NEDO Young Researcher Support Program (Sept. 5, 2024)
Prof. Fukushima's proposal has been selected for the Matching Support Phase of the NEDO Program for Discovering and Supporting Young Researchers through Industry–Academia Collaboration (announcement date: August 26, 2024). The project, entitled "Improving Plastic Upcycling Efficiency and Developing High-Performance Degradable Polymers," will run for two years from October 2024 to September 2026. The project aims to establish collaborative research opportunities with industry partners.Reference URL: https://www.nedo.go.jp/koubo/SM3_100001_00060.html