My research

I use chemistry to understand the origin of life – and I use the origin of life as a pretext to understand and develop new, fundamental chemistry. In my PhD and postdoctoral experiences I have divided my focus between physico-chemical and biophysical approaches to study condensed phases, with an interest both in characterizing reactions in coacervates and in controlling droplet dynamics. I am currently working on peptide/oligonucleotide mixtures, to shed light on the interactions underlying coacervation and on how soft matter affects chemical reactivity. I find it fascinating that phase separation is a widespread phenomenon in chemistry and biology, whether we want it or not.

Keywords

• Soft Matter
• Coacervates
• Liquid-liquid phase separation
• Protocells
• Prebiotic Chemistry

Academic positions

2023-now Rubicon Postdoctoral Fellow in the Bonfio Lab
University of Cambridge, Department of Biochemistry, UK
Previously: University of Strasbourg, Institut de Science et d’Ingénierie Supramoléculaires, FR
Projects: Coacervate-mediated primitive model of cell division, Phase separation of peptide/nucleic acid mixtures

2021-23 Postdoctoral Researcher in the Katsonis Research Group
University of Groningen, Stratingh Institute, NL
Projects: Motility of aqueous droplets by Marangoni propulsion, Prebiotic origin of fatty acids via photooxidation of oils

2017-21 PhD candidate in the Spruijt Lab
Radboud University, Institute for Molecules and Materials, NL
Project: Chemistry of active coacervate droplets – liquid droplets as a minimal model of life (thesis)

2013-15 Master's FAPESP fellow in the Bastos Research Group
University of São Paulo, Faculty of Chemistry, BR
Project: Study of the antiradical mechanism of betalains (dissertation)

Education

2017-21 PhD in Chemistry, Radboud University, NL

2013-15 MSc in Chemistry, University of São Paulo, BR

2009-13 BSc and Licenciate in Chemistry, University of São Paulo, BR

Publications

Marincioni B, Verduijn VB, Nakashima KK, Kudernac T, Katsonis N. Salt-Regulated Chemotaxis of Water Droplets in Lipid Environments.
Manuscript submitted

Nakashima KK*, Mihoubi FZ*,..., Bonfio C. Compositional and functional diversity of minimal primitive coacervates in a nucleic acid-peptide world.
ChemRxiv 2025. DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv-2024-l40ch-v2

Smokers IBA*, Visser BS*, Lipinski WP, Nakashima KK & Spruijt E. Phase-separated droplets can direct the kinetics of chemical reactions including polymerization, self-replication and oscillating networks.
ChemSystemsChem 2024. DOI: 10.1002/syst.202400056

Mihoubi FZ, Nakashima KK^# & Bonfio C. Nonenzymatic autocatalysis generates coacervates and controls their structure.
Chem 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2023.11.014

Marincioni B*, Nakashima KK* & Katsonis N. Motility of microscopic swimmers as protocells.
Chem 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2023.10.007

Abbas M*, Lipiński WP*, Nakashima KK, Huck WTS & Spruijt E. A short peptide synthon for liquid-liquid phase separation.
Chem 2021. DOI: 10.1038/s41557-021-00788-x

Nakashima KK, van Haren MHI, André AAM, Robu I & Spruijt E. Active coacervate droplets are protocells that grow and resist Ostwald ripening.
Nat Commun 2021. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24111-x

Lu T, Nakashima KK & Spruijt E. Temperature-responsive peptide-nucleotide coacervates.
J Phys Chem B 2021. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c10839

Nakashima KK*, André AAM* & Spruijt E. Enzymatic control over coacervation.
Methods in Enzymology v. 646, 2021. DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2020.06.007

van Haren MHI, Nakashima KK & Spruijt E. Coacervate-based protocells: integration of life-like properties in a droplet.
J Sys Chem 2020. PDF

Nakashima KK*, Vibhute MA* & Spruijt E. Biomolecular chemistry in liquid phase separated compartments.
Frontiers Biomol Sci 2019. DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2019.00021

Nakashima KK & Bastos EL. Rationale on the High Radical Scavenging Capacity of Betalains.
Antioxidants 2019. DOI: 10.3390/antiox8070222

Nakashima KK, Baaij JF & Spruijt E. Reversible generation of coacervate droplets in an enzymatic network.
Soft Matter 2018. DOI: 10.1039/c7sm01897e

Gonçalves LCP*, Rodrigues ACB*,..., Nakashima KK*, Esteves LC*, Lopes NB* & Bastos EL. Betalains: from the Colors of Beetroots to the Fluorescence of Flowers.
Rev. Virtual. Quim. 2014. PDF

*equal contributions, ^#corresponding author

Selected awards

2024 Early Career award, @LatinXChem (Virtual Forum for Latin American chemists)

2023 Rubicon Postdoctoral Fellowship, (NWO, Dutch Research Council)

2022 Van Arkel award for best PhD thesis on Soft Matter in 2020-21 (KNCV)

2022 Selected participant for the 71st Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting (supported by KNAW)

2013 Master's Research Fellowship (FAPESP)

2013 Lavoisier Medal for best Lic graduating student (Chemistry Council of São Paulo, BR)

2012 Lavoisier Medal for best BSc graduating student (Chemistry Council of São Paulo, BR)

2011 Undegraduate Research Fellowship (FAPESP)

Upcoming talks

07/2025
Widespread coacervation: phase separation of primitive mixtures of peptides and oligonucleotides
14th International Symposium on Polyelectrolytes (Campinas, BR)