TOHOKU UNIVERSITY Researchers - Yoshinobu Utagawa

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Yoshinobu Utagawa

Section

New Industry Creation Hatchery Center

Job title

Specially Appointed Assistant Professor(Research)

Degree

Ph.D. (Engineering) (Tohoku University)

researchmap

https://researchmap.jp/yoshinobu.utagawa

J-GLOBAL ID

202601004511897730

e-Rad No.

61039997

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6295-1401

Research History 2

2026/04 - Present

Tohoku University　New Industry Creation Hatchery Center
2024/04 - 2026/03

日本学術振興会特別研究員DC2

Education 4

東北大学　大学院工学研究科　バイオ工学専攻

2023/04 - 2026/03
東北大学　大学院環境科学研究科　先端環境創成学専攻

2021/04 - 2023/03
Tohoku University

2017/04 - 2021/03
宮城県仙台第三高等学校　普通科

2014/04 - 2017/03

Committee Memberships 5

日本動物実験代替法学会　3Rs啓発委員

2026/04 - Present
分析化学会第75年会　実行委員

2026/08 - 2026/09
第20回バイオ関連化学シンポジウム　実行委員

2026/06 - 2026/09
化学とマイクロ・ナノシステム学会　第50回研究会若手企画実行委員

2024/04 - 2024/11
化学とマイクロ・ナノシステム学会　第46回研究会若手企画実行委員

2022/04 - 2022/11

Professional Memberships 5

日本動物実験代替法学会

2023 - Present
日本分析化学会

2023 - Present
化学とマイクロ・ナノシステム学会

2021 - Present
日本生物工学会

2023 - 2026/03
電気化学会

2021 - 2026/03

Awards 6

工学研究科長賞

2026/03　東北大学
東北分析化学奨励賞

2025/12　日本分析化学会東北支部
多元物質科学奨励賞

2024/12　東北大学多元物質科学研究所
フロンティア・ラボ賞

2024/07　日本分析化学会東北支部
生物工学学生優秀賞（飛翔賞）

2023/09　日本生物工学会
工学部長賞

2021/03　東北大学

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Papers 18

Conductive Fibers of Chitosan/DNA Interfacial Polyelectrolyte Complexation Incorporating Carbon Nanotubes Peer-reviewed

Yoshinobu Utagawa, Masahiro Takinoue, Shin-ichiro M. Nomura, Yusuke Sato, Hiroaki Onoe, Toshinori Fujie, Hikaru Nakazawa, Mitsuo Umetsu, Hiroya Abe, Hitoshi Shiku, Kosuke Ino

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces　18　(15)　22404-22413　2026/04/08
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
DOI： 10.1021/acsami.6c00347 　

ISSN： 1944-8244

eISSN： 1944-8252
Nondestructive In-Situ Measurement of Alkaline Phosphatase Activity of Human Intestinal Organoids in Hydrogel Domes Using Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy Peer-reviewed

Yoshinobu Utagawa, Ayaka Ogihara, Yasuhiko Shinoda, Fei Li, Hiroya Abe, Hitoshi Shiku, Kosuke Ino

Analytical Chemistry　98　(12)　8804-8809　2026/03/06
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
DOI： 10.1021/acs.analchem.5c07602 　

ISSN： 0003-2700

eISSN： 1520-6882
Stereolithographic Hydrogel Microfluidic Platform for Monitoring Cellular Respiration via Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy Peer-reviewed

Taiyo Kanno, Yoshinobu Utagawa, Yusuke Kanno, Fei Li, Hiroya Abe, Hitoshi Shiku, Kosuke Ino

Electrochemical Science Advances　6　(2)　e70020　2026/03/03
Publisher: Wiley
DOI： 10.1002/elsa.70020 　

ISSN： 2698-5977

eISSN： 2698-5977

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ABSTRACT Hydrogel microfluidic devices have garnered significant interest as cell culture platforms owing to the efficient diffusion of nutrients through the hydrogel. Stereolithography, a versatile fabrication technique, has been widely adopted for the rapid prototyping of various microfluidic devices. Although evaluating cellular activity within microchannels during in vitro assays is essential, integrating electrochemical sensors into hydrogel devices remains challenging as these materials often cannot withstand conventional electrode fabrication processes. To address this limitation, scanning electrochemical microscopy was employed to assess cellular activity within hydrogel microfluidic devices, thereby eliminating the requirement for internal electrode fabrication. Initially, a novel hydrogel microfluidic design was developed, featuring accessible regions and thin hydrogel films. As a proof of concept, the respiratory activity of MCF‐7 cells within a hydrogel microchannel was measured. This strategy is expected to facilitate future cell‐based drug‐screening applications.
Electrochemiluminescence microscopy of diffusive biocompounds as co-reactants in cell spheroids with [Ru(bpy)3]2+ Peer-reviewed

Tomas Mockaitis, Ryota Shikuwa, Yoshinobu Utagawa, Kimiharu Oba, Kaoru Hiramoto, Hiroya Abe, Inga Morkvenaite-Vilkonciene, Hitoshi Shiku, Kosuke Ino

Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical　441　137944　2025/10
Publisher: Elsevier BV
DOI： 10.1016/j.snb.2025.137944 　

ISSN： 0925-4005
Development of a sensor-compatible vascular microphysiological system for metabolic monitoring during drug-induced endothelial injury Peer-reviewed

Yuning Fu, Ryota Okitsu, Yuji Nashimoto, Yasuhiko Shinoda, Yoshinobu Utagawa, Masateru Yamazaki, Koki Nakaya, Kosuke Ino, Hirokazu Kaji

Analytical Sciences　41　(10)　1617-1625　2025/07/17
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
DOI： 10.1007/s44211-025-00825-6 　

ISSN： 0910-6340

eISSN： 1348-2246
In situ electrochemical measurement of alkaline phosphatase activity in engineered gut models using a porous membrane electrode device Peer-reviewed

Yoshinobu Utagawa, Takeo Miyake, Yasuhiko Shinoda, Masateru Yamazaki, Hiroya Abe, Hitoshi Shiku, Kosuke Ino

Lab on a Chip　25　(21)　5418-5427　2025
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
DOI： 10.1039/d5lc00341e 　

ISSN： 1473-0197

eISSN： 1473-0189

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In situ electrochemical measurements of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in Caco-2 cells were achieved using a porous membrane electrode device, enabling rapid assessment of cellular differentiation.
Electrochemical permeability assays of hydrolyzed acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) in engineered gut models Peer-reviewed

Chisato Ito, Kosuke Ino, Yoshinobu Utagawa, Kazuyuki Iwase, Yasuhiko Shinoda, Hiroya Abe, Hitoshi Shiku

Chemistry Letters　53　(9)　2024/08/30
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
DOI： 10.1093/chemle/upae174 　

ISSN： 0366-7022

eISSN： 1348-0715

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Abstract This study presents an electrochemical permeability assay for drugs using an engineered gut model. Caco-2 cells (human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line) were cultured on porous membranes for 21 d. Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), after hydrolysis, was introduced from either the apical or basal sides and incubated for 2 h. The solution from the acceptor side was collected, and cyclic voltammetry was conducted to measure the hydrolyzed acetylsalicylic acid. This electrochemical approach holds promise for drug screening applications in engineered gut models.
Fabrication of Two-Layer Microfluidic Devices with Porous Electrodes Using Printed Sacrificial Layers Peer-reviewed

Kosuke Ino, An Konno, Yoshinobu Utagawa, Taiyo Kanno, Kazuyuki Iwase, Hiroya Abe, Hitoshi Shiku

Micromachines　15　(8)　1054　2024/08/22
Publisher: MDPI AG
DOI： 10.3390/mi15081054 　

eISSN： 2072-666X

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Two-layer microfluidic devices with porous membranes have been widely used in bioapplications such as microphysiological systems (MPS). Porous electrodes, instead of membranes, have recently been incorporated into devices for electrochemical cell analysis. Generally, microfluidic channels are prepared using soft lithography and assembled into two-layer microfluidic devices. In addition to soft lithography, three-dimensional (3D) printing has been widely used for the direct fabrication of microfluidic devices because of its high flexibility. However, this technique has not yet been applied to the fabrication of two-layer microfluidic devices with porous electrodes. This paper proposes a novel fabrication process for this type of device. In brief, Pluronic F-127 ink was three-dimensionally printed in the form of sacrificial layers. A porous Au electrode, fabricated by sputtering Au on track-etched polyethylene terephthalate membranes, was placed between the top and bottom sacrificial layers. After covering with polydimethylsiloxane, the sacrificial layers were removed by flushing with a cold solution. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the sacrificial approach-based fabrication of two-layer microfluidic devices with a porous electrode. Furthermore, the device was used for electrochemical assays of serotonin and could successfully measure concentrations up to 5 µM. In the future, this device can be used for MPS applications.
Enzyme-Free In-Situ Electrochemical Measurement Using a Porous Membrane Electrode for Glucose Transport into Cell Spheroids Peer-reviewed

Yoshinobu Utagawa, Kosuke Ino, Yasuhiko Shinoda, Masateru Yamazaki, Hiroya Abe, Hitoshi Shiku

ACS Sensors　9　(8)　4248-4255　2024/07/30
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
DOI： 10.1021/acssensors.4c01230 　

ISSN： 2379-3694

eISSN： 2379-3694
Scanning electrochemical microscopy for determining oxygen consumption rates of cells in hydrogel fibers fabricated using an extrusion 3D bioprinter Peer-reviewed

Kosuke Ino, Mana Wachi, Yoshinobu Utagawa, An Konno, Masahiro Takinoue, Hiroya Abe, Hitoshi Shiku

Analytica Chimica Acta　1304　342539　2024/05
Publisher: Elsevier BV
DOI： 10.1016/j.aca.2024.342539 　

ISSN： 0003-2670
Comprehensive Cell Adhesion Analysis Using Electrochemiluminescence Imaging and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Peer-reviewed

Kimiharu OBA, Kosuke INO, Yoshinobu UTAGAWA, Hiroya ABE, Hitoshi SHIKU

Electrochemistry　92　(2)　022009　2024/02/06
Publisher: The Electrochemical Society of Japan
DOI： 10.5796/electrochemistry.23-68109 　

ISSN： 1344-3542

eISSN： 2186-2451
Vasculature-on-a-Chip with a Porous Membrane Electrode for In Situ Electrochemical Detection of Nitric Oxide Released from Endothelial Cells Peer-reviewed

Yoshinobu Utagawa, Kosuke Ino, Kaoru Hiramoto, Kazuyuki Iwase, Yuji Nashimoto, Itaru Honma, Hitoshi Shiku

Analytical Chemistry　95　(49)　18158-18165　2023/11/28
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
DOI： 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c03684 　

ISSN： 0003-2700

eISSN： 1520-6882
Fabrication and Cell Culture Applications of Core‐Shell Hydrogel Fibers Composed of Chitosan/DNA Interfacial Polyelectrolyte Complexation and Calcium Alginate: Straight and Beaded Core Variations Peer-reviewed

Yoshinobu Utagawa, Kosuke Ino, Masahiro Takinoue, Hitoshi Shiku

Advanced Healthcare Materials　12　(31)　e2302011　2023/08/03
Publisher: Wiley
DOI： 10.1002/adhm.202302011 　

ISSN： 2192-2640

eISSN： 2192-2659

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Abstract Core‐shell hydrogel fibers are widely used in cell culture applications. A simple and rapid method is presented for fabricating core‐shell hydrogel fibers, consisting of straight or beaded core fibers, for cell culture applications. The core fibers are prepared using interfacial polyelectrolyte complexation (IPC) with chitosan and DNA. Briefly, two droplets of chitosan and DNA are brought in contact to form an IPC film, which is dragged to prepare an IPC fiber. The incubation time and DNA concentration are adjusted to prepare straight and beaded IPC fibers. The fibers with Ca ²⁺ are immersed in an alginate solution to form calcium alginate shell hydrogels around the core IPC fibers. To the best of the knowledge, this is the first report of core‐shell hydrogel fibers with IPC fiber cores. To demonstrate cell culture, straight hydrogel fibers are applied to fabricate hepatic models consisting of HepG2 and 3T3 fibroblasts, and vascular models consisting of human umbilical vein endothelial cells and 3T3 fibroblasts. To evaluate the effect of co‐culture, albumin secretion, and angiogenesis are evaluated. Beaded hydrogel fibers are used to fabricate many size‐controlled spheroids for fiber and cloning applications. This method can be widely applied in tissue engineering and cell analysis.
Simple, Rapid, and Large‐Scale Fabrication of Multi‐Branched Hydrogels Based on Viscous Fingering for Cell Culture Applications Peer-reviewed

Yoshinobu Utagawa, Kosuke Ino, Kaoru Hiramoto, Hitoshi Shiku

Macromolecular Bioscience　23　(9)　2300069　2023/04/22
Publisher: Wiley
DOI： 10.1002/mabi.202300069 　

ISSN： 1616-5187

eISSN： 1616-5195

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Abstract Hydrogels are widely used in cell culture applications. For fabricating tissues and organs, it is essential to produce hydrogels with specific structures. For instance, multiple‐branched hydrogels are desirable for the development of network architectures that resemble the biological vascular network. However, existing techniques are inefficient and time‐consuming for this application. To address this issue, a simple, rapid, and large‐scale fabrication method based on viscous fingering is proposed. This approach utilizes only two plates. To produce a thin solution, a high‐viscosity solution is introduced into the space between the plates, and one of the plates is peeled off. During this procedure, the solution's high viscosity results in the formation of multi‐branched structures. Using this strategy, 180 mm × 200 mm multi‐branched Pluronic F‐127 hydrogels are successfully fabricated within 1 min. These structures are used as sacrificial layers for the fabrication of polydimethylsiloxane channels for culturing human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Similarly, multi‐branched Matrigel and calcium (Ca)‐alginate hydrogel structures are fabricated, and HUVECs are successfully cultured inside the hydrogels. Also, the hydrogels are collected from the plate, while maintaining their structures. The proposed fabrication technique will contribute to the development of network architectures such as vascular structures in tissue engineering.
Electrochemical microwell sensor with Fe–N co-doped carbon catalyst to monitor nitric oxide release from endothelial cell spheroids Peer-reviewed

Kaoru Hiramoto, Kazuyuki Iwase, Yoshinobu Utagawa, Yuji Nashimoto, Itaru Honma, Kosuke Ino, Hitoshi Shiku

Analytical Sciences　38　(10)　1297-1304　2022/07/27
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
DOI： 10.1007/s44211-022-00160-0 　

ISSN： 0910-6340

eISSN： 1348-2246
Electrochemiluminescence imaging of cellular adhesion in vascular endothelial cells during tube formation on hydrogel scaffolds Peer-reviewed

Kosuke Ino, Keika Komatsu, Kaoru Hiramoto, Yoshinobu Utagawa, Yuji Nashimoto, Hitoshi Shiku

Electrochimica Acta　415　140240　2022/05
Publisher: Elsevier BV
DOI： 10.1016/j.electacta.2022.140240 　

ISSN： 0013-4686
Electrochemical Glue for Binding Chitosan–Alginate Hydrogel Fibers for Cell Culture Peer-reviewed

Yoshinobu Utagawa, Kosuke Ino, Tatsuki Kumagai, Kaoru Hiramoto, Masahiro Takinoue, Yuji Nashimoto, Hitoshi Shiku

Micromachines　13　(3)　420　2022/03/08
Publisher: MDPI AG
DOI： 10.3390/mi13030420 　

eISSN： 2072-666X

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Three-dimensional organs and tissues can be constructed using hydrogels as support matrices for cells. For the assembly of these gels, chemical and physical reactions that induce gluing should be induced locally in target areas without causing cell damage. Herein, we present a novel electrochemical strategy for gluing hydrogel fibers. In this strategy, a microelectrode electrochemically generated HClO or Ca2+, and these chemicals were used to crosslink chitosan–alginate fibers fabricated using interfacial polyelectrolyte complexation. Further, human umbilical vein endothelial cells were incorporated into the fibers, and two such fibers were glued together to construct “+”-shaped hydrogels. After gluing, the hydrogels were embedded in Matrigel and cultured for several days. The cells spread and proliferated along the fibers, indicating that the electrochemical glue was not toxic toward the cells. This is the first report on the use of electrochemical glue for the assembly of hydrogel pieces containing cells. Based on our results, the electrochemical gluing method has promising applications in tissue engineering and the development of organs on a chip.
Electrochemical Imaging of Endothelial Permeability Using a Large-Scale Integration-Based Device Peer-reviewed

Kosuke Ino, Hao-Jen Pai, Kaoru Hiramoto, Yoshinobu Utagawa, Yuji Nashimoto, Hitoshi Shiku

ACS Omega　6　(51)　35476-35483　2021/12/01
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
DOI： 10.1021/acsomega.1c04931 　

ISSN： 2470-1343

eISSN： 2470-1343

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Misc. 5

Porous membranes integrated into electrochemical systems for bioanalysis Peer-reviewed

Kosuke Ino, Yoshinobu Utagawa, Kaoru Hiramoto, Hiroya Abe, Hitoshi Shiku

Electrochemical Science Advances　4　(6)　e2300026　2024/02/08
Publisher: Wiley
DOI： 10.1002/elsa.202300026 　

ISSN： 2698-5977

eISSN： 2698-5977

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Abstract Porous membranes have emerged as promising platforms for bioanalysis because of their unique properties including high surface area, selective permeability, and compatibility with electrochemical techniques. This minireview presents an overview of the development and applications of porous membrane‐based electrochemical systems for bioanalysis. First, we discuss the existing fabrication methods for porous membranes. Next, we summarize electrochemical detection strategies for bioanalysis using porous membranes. Electrochemical biosensors and cell chips fabricated from porous membranes are discussed as well. Furthermore, porous micro‐/nanoneedle devices for bioapplications are described. Finally, the utilization of scanning electrochemical microscopy for cell analysis on porous membranes and electrochemiluminescence sensors is demonstrated. Future perspectives of the described membrane detection strategies and devices are outlined in each section. This work can help enhance the performance of porous membrane‐based electrochemical systems and expand the range of their potential applications.
Microarray-Based Electrochemical Biosensing

Kosuke Ino, Yoshinobu Utagawa, Hitoshi Shiku

Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology　317-338　2023/06/13
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
DOI： 10.1007/10_2023_229 　

ISSN： 0724-6145

eISSN： 1616-8542
Electrochemical imaging for cell analysis in microphysiological systems Peer-reviewed

An Konno, Kosuke Ino, Yoshinobu Utagawa, Hitoshi Shiku

Current Opinion in Electrochemistry　39　101270　2023/06
Publisher: Elsevier BV
DOI： 10.1016/j.coelec.2023.101270 　

ISSN： 2451-9103
Electrochemical Substrates and Systems for Enzyme-Based Bioassays Peer-reviewed

Yoshinobu UTAGAWA, Kentaro ITO, Kumi Y. INOUE, Yuji NASHIMOTO, Kosuke INO, Hitoshi SHIKU

BUNSEKI KAGAKU　71　(3)　109-117　2022/03/05
Publisher: Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry
DOI： 10.2116/bunsekikagaku.71.109 　

ISSN： 0525-1931
In vitro electrochemical assays for vascular cells and organs Peer-reviewed

Yoshinobu Utagawa, Kaoru Hiramoto, Yuji Nashimoto, Kosuke Ino, Hitoshi Shiku

Electrochemical Science Advances　2　(5)　e2100089　2021/10/09
Publisher: Wiley
DOI： 10.1002/elsa.202100089 　

ISSN： 2698-5977

eISSN： 2698-5977

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Abstract Vascular form vascular organs and the walls of blood vessels play a crucial role in transporting nutritive compounds and drugs. Vascular cells also release factors required to maintain the homeostasis of the organs. Since cancer cells travel from tumors to secondary sites during metastasis through the vasculature, it is important to investigate the interactions of vascular and cancer cells. In vitro vascular models, including endothelial cell monolayers, tubular structures in three‐dimensional culture scaffolds, and microfluidic cultures, have been developed to facilitate research on drug discovery and in‐depth disease mechanisms. In addition to the common optical methods proposed for the evaluation of these models, electrochemical assays have been applied for evaluating cell activities and drug effects owing to their numerous advantages such as low invasion, real‐time detection, or high sensitivity and selectivity. The present review focuses on electrochemical assays related to vascular model structure and function. First, we summarize strategies for the electrochemical detection of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species; assessment of endothelial cell barrier integrity using transepithelial electrical resistance measurements; endothelial permeability measurement using electrochemical tracers; evaluation of respiration activity, topography, and mRNA expression via electrochemical collection. We further discuss the methods for electrochemical cell analysis in detail, along with the variety of electrochemical systems available for these purposes, including microfluidic devices and electrochemical scanning probe microscopes. Finally, we conclude our review and propose perspectives for research that are likely to become relevant in the field.

Research Projects 1

ハイドロゲル微小流路デバイスによる小腸モデルの構築と細胞代謝物の電気化学計測

宇田川喜信

Offer Organization: 日本学術振興会

System: 科学研究費助成事業

Category: 特別研究員奨励費

Institution: 東北大学

2024/04 - 2026/03

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従来の生体模倣システムでは、デバイス内で細胞機能や代謝活性を生きたままリアルタイムで評価できる手法は限られていた。そこで本研究では、代謝や薬剤応答をin situかつリアルタイムで計測可能な電気化学センサを搭載した生体模倣システムの構築を目的とした。本年度は、多孔膜電極デバイス上での腸管モデルの構築を行った。腸管上皮細胞の3週間にわたる培養に成功し、また分化マーカーであるアルカリホスファターゼ（ALP）活性の電気化学計測に成功した。本システムは、従来のように溶液中に回収せず、デバイス上でin situ計測を行うことで、高感度かつ迅速な測定を実現した。その結果、細胞へのダメージを抑えつつ、同一サンプルを用いた繰り返し評価が可能となった。さらに、薬剤刺激によってALP活性が変化することを確認し、ALPが薬剤評価指標としても利用できる可能性を示した。さらに、本システムのアプリケーションを広げるため、電極修飾を行った。まず、pH応答性のポリアニリンを電解重合することでpHセンサを開発した。このデバイスに細胞を培養し、細胞外pHの長時間モニタリング（24時間）を実施した結果、時間経過に伴う細胞外pHの変化の検出に成功した。また、電極表面にナノ材料を修飾することで、セロトニンの計測感度が向上することも確認できた。

Social Activities 2

令和6年度「三高探究の日（イノベーションフェスタ）」における研究発表

2024/11/07 -
令和4年度「三高探究の日（イノベーションフェスタ）」における研究発表

2022/11/08 -