Shizuo Akira

Shizuo Akira (審良 静男, Akira Shizuo) (born January 27, 1953 in Higashiōsaka)[1] is a professor at the Department of Host Defense, Osaka University, Japan.[2] He has made ground-breaking discoveries in the field of immunology, most significantly in the area of innate host defense mechanisms.

Shizuo Akira
Shizuo Akira
Shizuo Akira
Born (1953-01-27) January 27, 1953
Higashiōsaka
NationalityJapanese
Alma materOsaka University
Known forToll-like receptors
AwardsRobert Koch Prize (2014)
William B. Coley Award (2006)
Imperial Prize (2007)
Japan Academy Prize (2007)
Keio Medical Science Prize (2010)
Canada Gairdner International Award (2011)
Scientific career
FieldsImmunology;innate host defense mechanisms
InstitutionsDepartment of Host Defense, Osaka University, Japan.
Websitehostdefense.ifrec.osaka-u.ac.jp/en/

Education

Shizuo Akira gained a M.D. in School of Medicine from Osaka University in 1977. In 1984 he earned a PhD from Osaka University. Till 1987, he did post-doctoral research at University of California, Berkeley.[3]

Research

Besides being one of the world's most-cited scientists,[4] he has also been recognised, in the years 2006 and 2007, for having published the greatest number of ‘Hot Papers’ (11 papers) over the preceding two years. He is the recipient of several international awards, including the Gairdner Foundation International Award (2011), Robert Koch Prize, the Milstein Award (2007), and the William B. Coley Award.[5][6]

Among his greatest discoveries is the demonstration, through the ablation of toll-like receptor (TLR)s genes, that TLRs recognize a discrete collection of molecules of microbial origin, and later the RNA helicases, RIG-I (retinoic-acid-inducible protein I) and MDA5 (melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5).[7] All molecules belong to the pattern recognition receptors, which detects intruding pathogens and initiates antimicrobial responses in the host.[8]

Career history
  • Clinical Training and Physician (1977–1980)
  • Research Fellow, University of California, Berkeley (1985–1987)
  • Research Associate (1987–1995), Associate Professor (1995), Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biology, Osaka University
  • Professor, Hyogo College of Medicine (1996–1999)
  • Professor, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University (1999–present)
  • Center Director, Osaka University Immunology Frontier Research Center (2007–present)[9]

Recognition

Missing and rescued

In July 2021, Akira went missing while climbing Kannon peak in Tenkawa, Nara Prefecture, on his own. He was found and rescued by police with the help of a police dog.[12]

References
  1. "[ISI Highly Cited Researchers Version 1.1]". Archived from the original on October 19, 2006. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
  2. "Essential Science Indicators". Archived from the original on May 17, 2008.
  3. "Akira Lab. Osaka University (IFReC/RIMD)".
  4. "Highly Cited Researchers (h>100) according to their Google Scholar Citations public profiles | Ranking Web of Universities: Webometrics ranks 30000 institutions". www.webometrics.info.
  5. "Shizuo Akira M.D. 2007 Milstein Award Laureate". Milstein Awards. 2007. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  6. "Shizuo Akira MD, PhD. Recipient of the Canada Gairdner International Award, 2011". Gairdner. 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  7. Yoneyama M, Kikuchi M, Natsukawa T, et al. (July 2004). "The RNA helicase RIG-I has an essential function in double-stranded RNA-induced innate antiviral responses". Nature Immunology. 5 (7): 730–7. doi:10.1038/ni1087. PMID 15208624. S2CID 34876422.
  8. Lee MS, Kim YJ (February 2007). "Pattern-recognition receptor signaling initiated from extracellular, membrane, and cytoplasmic space". Molecules and Cells. 23 (1): 1–10. PMID 17464205.
  9. "Akira Lab. Osaka University (IFReC/RIMD)".
  10. Author profile sangakukan.jp
  11. Singh Chawla, Dalmeet Singh (October 17, 2017). "Who's the most influential biomedical scientist? Computer program guided by artificial intelligence says it knows". AAAS. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  12. Mizuki Hayashi, Police dog, trainer honored for helping to find missing Osaka University professor, The Mainichi (September 7, 2021).
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