MEMBERS

Research Field

Chemistry, Spectroscopy, X-ray Crystallography, Molecular Biology and Developmental Biology
* Please refer to "The people behind the papers" in Development,146 (9).

Biography

She received her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Chemistry from The University of Tokyo (crystallography and spectroscopy of transition-metal complexes). She worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Chemistry and then Research Fellow/Honorary Lecturer in the Department of Biophysics at King’s College London. Her research interests have expanded to DNA-carcinogen/anti-cancer drug interactions and molecular biology techniques. She worked at Institute of Cancer Research UK as a permanent senior staff scientist. She went back to Japan in 1986 as an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo. She was promoted to a full Professor in 1992, the first woman full professor of natural sciences at The University of Tokyo. She worked in the Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and in the Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Sciences. She moved to Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science in 2012, and then to Institute of Science and Technology Research, Chubu University in 2019.

Awards and honours

Saruhashi Prize (1993)、Nissan Science Prize (1994)、Yamazaki-Teiichi Prize (2004), Prizes for Science and Technology, The Commendation for Science and Technology by the MEXT (2009), L’Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Award (2013), Mukai Prize (2014), Prime Minister's Commendation for Efforts Toward the Formation of a Gender-Equal Society (2014), Academia Prize (2015)

Honorary Professor of University of Sichuan, China
Honorary Doctorate, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
Foreign Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, class of Chemistry

Governmental and International appointments

Steering Committee member of the INGSA-Asia (International Network for Government Science Advice) (2021-)
Network for Government Science Advice) (2021-)
UK G7 GEAC (Gender Equality Advisory Council) member(2021)
Full member, The Club of Rome (2020.1-)
175 Faces of Chemistry of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2016)
Ambassador of Women’s Initiative in Developing STEM Career (WINDS), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2016-2019)
AcademiaNet member (2015-)
Fellow, TWAS (The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries) (2014-)
Member of the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO (2007-2012, 2013-2019)
Scientific Advisory Board member of the United Nations Secretary General on Global Sustainability (2013-2016)
Council Member of Science Council of Japan (2008-2014)
Vice President of ICSU (International Council for Science) (2008-2011)
Science Advisory Board member of Molecular Frontier (Boston, USA, 2007-)

Member of Committee for Realizing Gender Equal Society, Cabinet Office (2007-2013)
Member of the Administrative Council, The University of Tokyo (2007-2011)
A board member of the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre (Cambridge, UK, 2006-14)
Member of the Central Council for Education, Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture (2003-2009)
Executive Advisor to the President, The University of Tokyo (2003-2007)
Executive advisor to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (2002-2010)
Member of the Council for Science and Technology Policy (CSTP), Cabinet Office (2001-2007)