Reiko Oda’s research centers on chirality as a fundamental design principle to control matter across multiple length scales, from molecular assemblies to mesoscopic and hierarchical structures. A key focus of her work is the hierarchical construction of chirality, where weak molecular asymmetry is progressively amplified through supramolecular organization into well-defined chiral architectures such as twisted ribbons, helical fibers, and silica nanohelices. This multiscale approach enables the emergence of robust chiral systems with tunable structural and functional properties.
Her contributions include the development of concepts such as morphochirality, in which chirality arises from shape and curvature at the nanoscale, independent of molecular chirality. By combining soft matter self-assembly with inorganic templating strategies, she has established versatile platforms for generating stable chiral nanostructures.
These hierarchical chiral systems exhibit rich chiroptical responses, including circular dichroism (CD) and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL), and provide new opportunities for controlling light–matter interactions. More recently, her work has extended to chirality-controlled crystallization and the fabrication of chiral plasmonic materials, such as gold nanohelices, with enhanced optical activity.
Through interdisciplinary approaches integrating synthesis, advanced spectroscopy, and structural analysis, her research aims to elucidate the relationships between structure, chirality, and function, paving the way for applications in photonics, sensing, and advanced functional materials.
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www.iecb.u-bordeaux.fr/en/teams/oda-team |