Executive Vice-President Inaba awarded Takeda Medical Prize (30 September 2015)

Professor Kayo Inaba, Executive Vice-President for Gender Equality, International Affairs, and Public Relations, has been awarded the 2015 Takeda Medical Prize (Takeda Igaku Sho).

Administered by Takeda Science Foundation, the prize recognizes scholars and researchers who have made significant contributions to the study and practice of medicine through outstanding achievements in the medical field. This year marks the 59th presentation of this prize, which was instituted in 1954.

Executive Vice-President Inaba is cited for "elucidation of the roles of dendritic cells in initiating and controlling immune responses". Specifically, she has:

1. Found that dendritic cells, which are a type of leukocyte present throughout the body, including in the periphery, act as antigen-presenting cells -- recognizing invading viruses and bacteria, migrating to nearby lymph nodes, and presenting antigens to T cells, which control antigen-specific immune responses, activating those cells, which in turn stimulate B cells to produce antibodies
2. Discovered that, in steady-state conditions, dendritic cells maintain immune tolerance in the tissues that they comprise
3. Shown that antigen-specific immune responses can be induced by introducing antigen-loaded dendritic cells into the body
4. Established a system for inducing in vitro the differentiation of bone-marrow progenitors into dendritic cells

The immune functions of dendritic cells as revealed by Professor Inaba are mentioned in updated editions of high school biology textbooks.

The awards ceremony for the 2015 Takeda Medical Prize is scheduled to take place on 12 November at Hotel Okura Tokyo.