Noguchi Group

Research Associate NAKANO, Hiroyoshi

Research Subjects

  • Non-equilibrium dynamics of biomembrane
  • Shape transformation of cells and lipid vesicles
  • Dynamics of complex fluids
  • Self-organization of active matter

We study soft-matter physics and biophysics using theory and simulations. Our main targets are the structure formation of biomembrane and the dynamics of complex fluids and active matter under various conditions. We develop coarse-grained membrane models, hydrodynamics simulation methods, and the calculation method of material properties. 

 We found the shape transitions and dynamic modes of red blood cells and lipid vesicles in shear and capillary flows using mesoscale hydrodynamic simulations: discocyte-to-parachute transition, tank-treading, and swinging, etc. We also clarified the shape transformation of membrane induced by curvature-inducing proteins using coarse-grained membrane simulations: membrane tubulation by banana-shaped proteins (BAR superfamily proteins, etc.), budding by laterally isotropic proteins, and the coupling of membrane deformation, chemical reaction, and protein diffusion in membrane (traveling wave and Turing pattern). Membranes exhibit characteristic patterns and fluctuations out of equilibrium. Moreover, we investigated phase transitions of active matter and fluid dynamics of polymer solution and cavitation in the Karman vortex and sound-wave propagation using massively parallel simulations.

Sequential snapshots of a shape-oscillation vesicle. Budding repeatedly occurs, accompanied by the traveling wave of bound proteins. Color indicates the concentration of the curvature-inducing protein.
Cavitation in Karman vortex behind cylinder arrays.

Publications and Research Highlights