Miho Yanagisawa

Tokyo Metropolitan Komaba High School, Systems Biology Institute

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Miho Yanagisawa is a pioneer at the intersection of soft matter physics and synthetic biology, whose work illuminates the design principles of artificial cells and bio-inspired microcapsules. Her research centers on DNA nanotechnology, emulsion engineering, and the physics of motile droplets, with a focus on creating functional, cell-mimicking systems. Yanagisawa’s most impactful contribution is the development of DNA origami nanoplate-based emulsions with nanopore function (2019, 28 citations), a breakthrough that demonstrates how programmable DNA nanostructures can stabilize microcapsules while enabling selective molecular transport—a key step toward artificial-cell engineering. She has also advanced the study of Marangoni droplets in dextran-PEG solutions (2024, 8 citations), quantitatively describing how DNA’s coil–globule transition can trigger and modulate droplet motion, offering a new paradigm for cell-mimicking soft robots. Her work bridges fundamental polymer physics with applied nanotechnology, providing versatile platforms for drug delivery, biosensing, and bottom-up synthetic biology. Yanagisawa’s research is recognized for its creativity and rigor, establishing her as a leading voice in the design of functional, life-like soft materials.