Research Area

• Real-Time In-Cell NMR Spectroscopy of Non-Endocytic Membrane Transport
• Kinetics of Drug Binding and Mobility in Membranes by Multinuclear, Dynamic NMR
• Real-Time In-Situ NMR of Biologically-Relevant Peptide Reactions in Solution: Aggregation, Amino Acid Isomerization, and Spontaneous Peptide Bond Cleavage

Degree

• Ph. D. (Kyoto University)

Affiliation Society

• The Chemical Society of Japan, Division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry
• The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
• The Membrane Society of Japan (President)
• Japan Oil Chemists’ Society
• The Biophysical Society of Japan
• The Japan Association of Solution Chemistry
• Research Group of Anesthetic Mechanism in Japan
• The Society of Japanese Women Scientists (Director)
• American Chemical Society
• Biophysical Society (USA)

Publications

• “Real-Time ¹H NMR Reveals Position and Sequence Dependences of Amino Acid Isomerization in Amyloid Beta Fragments in Situ” K. Aki, E. Okamura, Journal of Molecular Liquids, 364, 120050 (2022) (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2022.120050)
• “Drug Delivery from Water to Membrane by NMR: Diffusion, Membrane Binding and Dissociation, Thermodynamic Stability, and Cell Membrane Permeability”, E. Okamura, Netsu Sokutei, 49(2), 72-78 (2022).
• “Real-time in-situ ¹H NMR of reactions in peptide solution: preaggregation of amyloid-β fragments prior to fibril formation ” E. Okamura, K. Aki, Pure and Applied Chemistry 2020; 10.1515/pac-2019-1201.
• “Side-chain conformers to allow conversion from normal to isoaspartate in age-related proteins and peptides ” K. Aki, E. Okamura, BBA-Proteins and Proteomics, 1868, 140483 (2020).
• “Isomerization of aspartyl residue in amyloid beta fragments: The kinetics by real-time ¹H NMR under neutral and basic conditions” K. Aki, E. Okamura, J. Soln. Chem., in press.
• “Solution NMR to Quantify Mobility in Membranes: Diffusion, Protrusion, and Drug Transport Processes” E. Okamura, Chem. Pharm. Bull., 67, 308-315 (2019). [Invited Review]
• “Glycosaminoglycan Binding and Non-endocytic Membrane Translocation of Cell-permeable Octaarginine Monitored by Real Time In-cell NMR Spectroscopy” Y. Takechi-Haraya, K. Aki, Y. Tohyama, Y. Harano, T. Kawakami, H. Saito, E. Okamura, Pharmaceuticals, 10, 42 (2017).
• “Kinetics of the competitive reactions of isomerization and peptide bond cleavage at L-α- and D-β-aspartyl residues in an αA-crystallin fragment” K. Aki, E. Okamura, J. Pept. Sci., 23, 28-37 (2017).
• “D-β-aspartyl residue exhibiting uncommon high resistance to spontaneous peptide bond cleavage” K. Aki, E. Okamura, Sci. Rep., 6, 21594 (2016).
• “Kinetics of Membrane Binding and Mobility of Drugs by Multinuclear Dynamic NMR in Situ ” E. Okamura, Journal of the Society of Japanese Women Scientists, 16, 7-14 (2016).
• “NMR of Drug Delivery Coupled with Lipid Membrane Dynamics” E.Okamura, in Encyclopedia of Biocolloid and Biointerface Science, Ed. by H. Ohshima, Volume 1, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Chapter 30, pp. 391-402 (2016).
• “Staggered side-chain conformers of aspartyl residues prerequisite to transformation from L-α- to D-β-aspartate 58 in human-lens αA-crystallin fragment” K. Aki, E. Okamura, Biophys. Chem., 196, 10-15 (2015).
• “Regulation of Phospholipid Protrusion in the Cell Sized Vesicle by Hydrophobic Bisphenol A” Y. Takechi, Y. Shintani, D. Kimoto, E. Okamura, Membrane, 40, 38-45 (2015).
• “Uptake of Sevoflurane Limited by the Presence of Cholesterol in the Lipid Bilayer Membrane: A Multinuclear Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Study” E. Okamura, Y. Takechi, K. Aki, J. Oleo Sci., 63, 1149-1157 (2014).
• “Slow Tumbling but Large Protrusion of Phospholipids in the Cell Sized Giant Vesicle” Y. Takechi, H. Saito, E. Okamura, Chem. Phys. Lett., 570, 136-140 (2013).
• “Lateral Diffusion of Lipids Separated from Rotational and Translational Diffusion of a Fluid Large Unilamellar Vesicle” N. Yoshii, T. Emoto, E. Okamura, Colloid Surf. B-Biointerfaces, 106, 22-27 (2013).
• “Biomembranes” E. Okamura, in Fluctuation, Dynamics, and Function, Dojin Bioscience Series 10, Ed. by M. Terazima, Kagakudojin, Chapter 14, pp. 212-222 (2013).
• “Physicochemical Mechanism for the Lipid Membrane Binding of Polyarginine: the Favorable Enthalpy Change with Structural Transition from Random Coil to Alpha-Helix” Y. Takechi, C. Mizuguchi, M. Tanaka, T. Kawakami, S. Aimoto, E. Okamura, H. Saito, Chem. Lett., 41, 1374-1376 (2012).
• “Binding of Hydrophobic Fluorinated Bisphenol A to Large Unilamellar Vesicles of Egg Phosphatidylcholine” N. Yoshii, E. Okamura, J. Phys. Chem. B, 115, 11074-11080 (2011).
• “Kinetics of Binding and Diffusivity of Leucine-Enkephalin in Large Unilamellar Vesicle by Pulsed-Field-Gradient ¹H NMR in Situ” N. Yoshii, T. Emoto, E. Okamura, Biophysics, 7, 105-111 (2011).
• “Mobility of Drugs in Lipid Membranes by NMR ” N. Yoshii, E. Okamura, Oleoscience, 11, 213-220 (2011). [Received the 11^th Oleoscience Editor’s Award (2012)]
• “NMR Study of Drug Permeation Related to the Fluctuation of Soft Lipid Membranes ” N. Yoshii, E. Okamura, Membrane, 36, 9-15 (2011).
• “Kinetics of Membrane Binding and Dissociation of 5-Fluorouracil by Pulsed Field Gradient ¹⁹F NMR” N. Yoshii, E. Okamura, Chem. Phys. Lett., 474, 357-361 (2009).
• “Lipid Membrane Dynamics and Drug Delivery by High-Resolution Solution NMR ” E. Okamura, Emsemble, 11, 18-21 (2009).
• “Lipid Membrane Dynamics and Drug Delivery as Revealed by High-Resolution Solution NMR ” E.Okamura, Membrane, 34, 117-125 (2009).
• “Drug Binding and Mobility Relating to the Thermal Fluctuation in Fluid Lipid Membranes” E. Okamura, N. Yoshii, J. Chem. Phys., 129, 215102 (2008).
• “Cholesterol Location and Orientation in Aqueous Suspension of Large Unilamellar Vesicles of Phospholipid Revealed by Intermolecular Nuclear Overhauser Effect” C. Giordani, C. Wakai, K. Yoshida, E. Okamura, N. Matubayasi, M. Nakahara, J. Phys. Chem. B, 112, 2622-2628 (2008).
• “Dynamic and 2D NMR Studies on Hydrogen-bonding Aggregates of Cholesterol in Low-polarity Organic Solvents ” C. Giordani, C. Wakai, E. Okamura, N. Matubayasi, M. Nakahara, J. Phys. Chem. B, 110, 15205-15211 (2006).
• “Real-time In-cell ¹⁹F NMR Study on Uptake of Fluorescent and Nonfluorescent ¹⁹F- Octaarginines into Human Jurkat Cells” E. Okamura, K. Ninomiya, S. Futaki, Y. Nagai, T. Kimura, C. Wakai, N. Matubayasi, Y. Sugiura, M. Nakahara, Chem. Lett. 34, 1064-1065 (2005).
• “Static and Dynamic NMR Studies of Anesthetics in Membranes” E. Okamura, M. Nakahara, Anesthesia and Resuscitation, 41, 21-22 (2005).
• “Mobility and Location of Anesthetics in Lipid Bilayer Membranes by High-Resolution, High-Field-Gradient NMR ” E. Okamura, M. Nakahara, Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Basic and Systemic Mechanisms of Anesthesia (International Congress Series-1283) Elsevier, Amsterdam, 203-206 (2005).
• “Limited Slowdown of Endocrine-Disruptor Diffusion in Confined Fluid Lipid Membranes” E. Okamura, C. Wakai, N. Matubayasi, Y. Sugiura, M. Nakahara, Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 248101 (2004).
• “NMR Study on the Binding of Neuropeptide Achatin-I to Phospholipid Bilayer: The Equilibrium, Location, and Peptide Conformation” T. Kimura, E. Okamura, N. Matubayasi, K. Asami, M. Nakahara, Biophys. J., 87, 375-385 (2004).
• “Molecular Motions in Lipid Bilayer Membranes as Studied by NMR Spectroscopy” E. Okamura, M. Nakahara, Chemistry, 59 (3), 66-67 (2004).
• “Location and Side-Chain Conformation of a Neuropeptide, Achatin-I in Phospholipid Bilayer Membrane: A High-Resolution NMR Study ” T. Kimura, E. Okamura, N. Matubayasi, M. Nakahara, Biophys. J. 86, 559A (2004).
• “Structure and Dynamics of Drugs in Lipid Bilayer Membranes: An NMR Application to Drug Delivery Study ” E. Okamura, Membrane, 28, 111-120 (2003).
• “¹³C NMR Method for the Determination of Peptide and Protein Binding Sites in Lipid Bilayers and Emulsions” E. Okamura, T. Kimura, M. Nakahara, M. Tanaka, T. Handa, H. Saito, J. Phys. Chem. B, 105, 12616-12621 (2001).
• “¹³C NMR Determination of Location of Anesthetics in Membranes” E. Okamura, M. Nakahara, Anesthesia and Resuscitation, 37, 91-92 (2001).
• “Interactions of Phosphatidylcholine Surface Monolayers with Triglyceride Cores and Enhanced ApoA-I Binding in Lipid Emulsions” H. Saito, M. Tanaka, E. Okamura, T. Kimura, M. Nakahara, T. Handa, Langmuir, 17, 2528-2532 (2001).
• “NMR Studies on Lipid Bilayer Interfaces Coupled with Anesthetics and Endocrine Disruptors” E. Okamura, M. Nakahara, in Liquid Interfaces in Chemical, Biological, and Pharmaceutical Applications, Ed. by A.G. Volkov, Marcel Dekker, New York, pp.775-805 (2001).
• “NMR Specification of Lipid Bilayer Interfaces as Drug Delivery Sites” E. Okamura, R. Kakitsubo, M .Nakahara, Proceedings of the International Conference on Colloid and Surface Science (Stud. Surf. Sci. Catal., 132), Ed. by Y.Iwasawa, N.Oyama, and H.Kunieda, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp.1045-1048 (2001).
• “NMR Study of Drug Delivery Mechanisms from Water to Lipid Bilayer Membranes – From Anesthetics and Endocrine Disruptors to Peptides and Proteins– ” E. Okamura, High Polymers, Japan, 50, 666 (2001).
• “NMR Study on Location of Anesthetics in Membranes” E. Okamura, M. Nakahara, Anesthesia and Resuscitation, 36, 179-180 (2000).
• “NMR Determination of the Delivery Site of Local Anesthetics in Phospholipid Bilayer Membranes” E. Okamura, R. Kakitsubo, M. Nakahara, Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop on Anesthetic Mechanisms (Prog. Anesth. Mech., 6 Special Issue), pp.542-547 (2000).
• “NMR Study on Delivery of Endocrine Disruptors from Water to Model Biomembranes” E. Okamura, M. Nakahara, Reviews and Topics on Surface Science & Technology Avant-garde, 38, 538-547 (2000).
• “NMR Study of Drug Deliveries from Water to Lipid Bilayer Membranes – Anesthetics and Endocrine Disruptors” E. Okamura, Membrane, 25, 174-176 (2000).
• “NMR Study Directly Determining Drug Delivery Sites in Phospholipid Bilayer Membranes” E. Okamura, M. Nakahara, J. Phys. Chem. B, 103, 3505-3509 (1999).
• “NMR Determination of the Delivery Site of Bisphenol A in Phospholipid Bilayer Membranes” E. Okamura, R. Kakitsubo, M. Nakahara, Langmuir, 15, 8332-8335 (1999).
• “Molecular Dynamics Simulation of the Vibrational Spectra of Stearic Acid Monolayers at the Air/Water Interface” E. Okamura, N. Fukushima, S. Hayashi, Langmuir, 15, 3589-3594 (1999).
• “14N NMR Spectra Sensitively Reflect Surface Curvature and Segmental Motion of Hydrophilic Headgroups in Lipid Bilayers and Micelles” E. Okamura, C. Wakai, N. Matubayasi, M. Nakahara, Chem. Lett., 1997, 1061-1062 (1997).
• “Quantitative Analysis of Molecular Orientation in Ultra-thin Films by the External Reflection Spectrometry: a Fundamental Study for the Structural Analysis of Bio-membrane” T. Hasegawa, E. Okamura, J. Umemura, International Cyber Congress on Analytical Biosciences, No.18 (1997).
• “Quantitative Analysis of Molecular Orientation in Chlorophyll a Langmuir Monolayer : A  Polarized Visible Reflection Spectroscopic Study” E. Okamura, T. Hasegawa, J. Umemura, Biophys. J., 69, 1142-1147 (1995).
• “Effects of Carnauba Wax Addition on Physical States of Palm Kernel Oil-in-Water Emulsions” Y. Matsumura, E. Okamura, H. Hidaka, M. Miyabe, T. Mori, Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., 59, 1688-1693 (1995).
• “Monolayer Formation and Molecular Orientation of Various Helical Peptides at the Air/Water Interface” K. Fujita, S. Kimura, Y. Imanishi, E. Okamura, J. Umemura, Langmuir, 11, 1675-1679 (1995).
• “Orientation and Association of Helical Peptides in Phospholipid Bilayer Membrane” S. Kimura, J. Chou, Y. Imanishi, E. Okamura, J. Umemura, in Peptide Chemistry, Ed. by M.Ohno, 1994, pp.133-136, Protein Research Foundation, Osaka (1995).

• “Microstructure of Thin Langmuir-Blodgett Films of Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine – Electron Microscopic Images Replicated with Plasma Polymerized Film by Glow Discharge” E. Okamura, J. Umemura, K. Iriyama, T. Araki, Chem. Phys. Lipids, 66, 219-223 (1993).
• “Effect of Wax Addition on Gel – to – Liquid-Crystalline Phase Transition of Palm-Oil as Studied by FT-IR Spectroscopy” E. Okamura, Y. Matsumura, T. Takenaka, Bull. Inst. Chem. Res., Kyoto Univ., 71, 188-192 (1993).
• “Molecular Orientation in Thin Langmuir-Blodgett Films of Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine as Studied by FTIR Transmission and Reflection-Absorption Spectroscopy” E. Okamura, J. Umemura, T. Takenaka, Can. J. Chem., 69, 1691-1694 (1991).
• “High-Sensitivity Raman Spectroscopic Study on Surface-Pressure Dependence of the Structure in Thin Langmuir-Blodgett Films of Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine” E. Okamura, J. Umemura, T. Takenaka, J. Raman Spectrosc., 22, 759-762 (1991).
• “A Comparative Study on Interactions of a-Aminoisobutyric Acid Containing Antibiotic Peptides, Trichopolyn I and Hypelcin A with Phosphatidylcholine Bilayers” K. Matsuzaki, T. Shioyama, E. Okamura, J. Umemura, T. Takenaka, Y. Takaishi, T. Fujita, K. Miyajima, Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1070, 419-428 (1991).
• “Fourier Transform Infrared / Attenuated Total Reflection Study on Subtransition of Hydrated Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine Multibilayers” E. Okamura, J. Umemura, T. Takenaka, Vibrational Spectrosc., 2, 95-100 (1991).
• “Orientation Studies of Hydrated Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine Multibilayers by Polarized FTIR-ATR Spectroscopy” E. Okamura, J. Umemura, T. Takenaka, Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1025, 94-98 (1990).
• “Fourier Transform Infrared – Attenuated Total Reflection Spectroscopy of Hydration of Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine Multibilayers” Lisbeth Ter-Minassian-Saraga, E. Okamura, J. Umemura, T. Takenaka, Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 946, 417-423 (1988).
• “Orientation of Gramicidin D Incorporated into Phospholipid Multibilayers: A Fourier Transform Infrared – Attenuated Total Reflection Spectroscopic Study” E. Okamura, J. Umemura, T. Takenaka, Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 856, 68-75 (1986).
• “Fourier Transform Infrared – Attenuated Total Reflection Spectra of Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine Monomolecular Films” E. Okamura, J. Umemura, T. Takenaka, Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 812, 139-146 (1985).
• “Calorimetric Studies of the Interaction between the Lecithin and Copolymers of L-Lysine and L-Leucine” M. Nakagaki, E. Okamura, Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn., 58, 546-549 (1985).
• “Penetration of Lysine-Leucine Copolymers into Lecithin Monolayers from Underlying Aqueous Solutions” M. Nakagaki, E. Okamura, S. Kubota, Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn., 56, 3730-3734 (1983).
• “Penetration of Lysine Hydrochloride into Lecithin Monolayers from Underlying Aqueous Solutions” M. Nakagaki, E. Okamura, Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn., 56, 1607-1611 (1983).
• “Penetration of Leucine and Norleucine into Lecithin Monolayers from Underlying Aqueous Solutions” M. Nakagaki, E. Okamura, Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn., 55, 3381-3385 (1982).
• “The Penetration of Lysine into the Monolayers of Lecithin from the Underlying Aqueous Solutions” M. Nakagaki, E. Okamura, Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn., 55, 1352-1356 (1982).

Awards

• Japan Oil Chemists’ Society Woman Scientist Award (2022)
• The 2015 Best Paper Award in Membrane, The Membrane Society of Japan (2016)
• The 2013 Research Grant from Hyogo Science and Technology Association (2013)
• Japan Oil Chemists’ Society 11th Oleoscience Editor’s Award (2012)
• The 2008 Shiseido Female Researcher Science Grant (2009)