Ichimura Prize in Science awarded to Kouichi Fujiwara and Motonari Uesugi (26 April 2017)

On 26 April, an award ceremony was held at Imperial Hotel Tokyo for winners of the 49th Ichimura Prize in Science. Among the awardees were Kyoto University's Assistant Professor Kouichi Fujiwara, of the Graduate School of Informatics, and Professor Motonari Uesugi, of the Institute for Chemical Research (ICR). Assistant Professor Fujiwara and his project partners received the Prize for Excellent Achievement. Professor Uesugi, who also serves as deputy director at the KU Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS), was presented with the Prize for Distinguished Achievement.

Administered by the New Technology Development Foundation, the Ichimura Prize in Science annually recognizes individuals and groups that have, as part of their work at domestic universities or research institutes, contributed to the development of promising technologies and other advances in their respective fields.

Assistant Professor Fujiwara's team, which included Assistant Professors Miho Miyajima, of Tokyo Medical and Dental University, and Toshitaka Yamakawa, of Kumamoto University, was honored for their work on an epileptic seizure alert system that predicts seizures based on heart rate variability (HVR). The group developed an algorithm for analyzing HVR and identifying signs of imminent episodes based on the obtained data. This technology was built into an alert system comprised of an easy-to-wear heart rate sensor and a smartphone app. Seizure alerts are issued a minute or more in advance so that the patient can take steps to avoid accidents. Moreover, the stick-on sensor can be worn under clothing to minimize interference with daily activities. The system is now being tested in clinical settings.

Professor Uesugi developed four types of compounds and tested their possible applications to regenerative and cell therapy -- achievements that involved controlling the fundamental properties of human cells with the use of synthetic molecules. These compounds are designed to 1) enhance the efficiency of cell transplantation, 2) facilitate the differentiation of stem cells into myocardial and pancreatic beta cells, 3) selectively label human stem cells, and, 4) in cell transplantation, selectively eliminate residual human stem cells to enhance safety.

One of the major issues with existing regenerative and cell therapy procedures is the extremely high cost. Compounds, on the other hand, are relatively easy and inexpensive to produce in large quantities, and have the potential to enhance the efficiency of treatment. Professor Uesugi's work could contribute to lowering the cost and increasing the accessibility of regenerative and cell therapy for patients across the world.

Related link

• The 49th Ichimura Prize in Science (in Japanese)
  http://www.sgkz.or.jp/prize/science/49/