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About

Masami Hagiya is a pioneering figure in molecular robotics, a field he helped define and advance through the integration of DNA computing, nanotechnology, and autonomous systems. His research centers on designing molecular-scale robots composed of sensors, logic gates, and actuators—all built from biomolecules like DNA—that can sense environmental signals, process information, and act autonomously. Hagiya’s landmark 2014 review in *Accounts of Chemical Research* (205 citations) established the conceptual framework for molecular robots with embedded intelligence, while his 2013 paper (141 citations) formally introduced molecular robotics as a new paradigm for artifacts. He has also developed analog DNA computing devices for controlling molecular robots and explored DNA-based nanorobots that mimic biological communication, such as quorum sensing in bacteria. His work on evolutionary optimization of self-assembling bio-micro-robot swarms and DNA-based crosstalk nanorobots demonstrates a sustained commitment to bridging computation, materials science, and synthetic biology. As the founder of the Molecular Robotics Research Group in Japan, Hagiya’s vision has inspired a generation of researchers to reimagine robotics at the molecular scale.