*The Purple Ribbon Medal is one of the Medals of Honor bestowed by the Government of Japan. It is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contribution to academic and artistic accomplishments. Prof. Takashi Gojobori (DNA Data Analysis Lab.) was selected to receive the 2009 Autumn Purple Ribbon Medal for his pioneering research achievement in “Molecular Evolutionary Studies using genome information”. The Biannual Decoration Ceremony was held on the 16th of November, 2009. Takashi Gojobori (Vice Director of the Institute / Professor at DNA Data Analysis Lab. , National Institute of Genetics , Research Organization of Information and Systems,) Academic Positions Professor, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies) School of Life Science; Special Counselor, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (Biomedicinal Information Research Center); Visiting Professor, National Institute of Informatics; Visiting Professor, Keio University, Tokyo; Visiting Professor, Tokyo Institute of Technology; Visiting Chief Scientist, RIKEN, Yokohama; Program Director, Council for Science and Technology Policy, Japan; Cooperative Member, Science Council of Japan; President, The Genetics Society of Japan; President, The DNA Analysis Studies Society of Japan. Professional Experiences/ Education Present Vice Director and Professor, National Institute of Genetics 1988－1990 Associate Professor, Department of Evolutionary Staff, National Institute of Genetics 1989－ Visiting Research Fellow at Imperial Cancer Research Fund (ICRF), London, UK 1983－1987 Assistant Professor, Department of Evolutionary Genetics, National Institute of Genetics 1985－1986 Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, Missouri, USA 1979－1983 Research Assistant Professor and Research Associate, Center for Population Genetics at the University of Texas, Houston, Texas, USA 1979 Ph.D. in Theoretical Population Genetics, Kyushu University, Japan 1976 Master of Science in Theoretical Population Genetics, Kyushu University, Japan 1974 Bachelor of Science in Biology, Kyushu University Awards 2007 Academician Member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Vatican 2006 Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) 2005 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2005 Society Prize (Kihara Medal), The Genetic Society of Japan 2004 Society Prize (Motoo Kimura Medal), Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan 2004 The Gaetano Salvatore Gold Medal, Statione Zoologica, Anton Dohrn, Italy 1997 Science Award from Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST) 1995 Science Award from Hitoshi Kihara Memorial Foundation 1987 Promotion Award from Japanese Society of Genetics

Prof. Hiroyuki Sasaki (Division of Human Genetics) received the 2009 Japan Society of Human Genetics Award. Prof. Sasaki is the third NIG member who received the Japan Society of Human Genetics Award. Dr. Ei Matsunaga, the 5th Director-General of NIG, received the award in 1961, when he was at Sapporo Medical University. Dr. Motoo Kimura is the second awardee, who received it in 1970. The Awarding Ceremony was held on the 25th of September, as part of the 54th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society of Human Genetics. Prof. Sasaki gave a lecture titled “Research on Epigenomic Mechanisms of Genomic Imprinting” in this ceremony. Ceremony Date: Friday, 25th September 2009 Time: 15:10 – 17:00 Location: Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa, Prince Room Division of Human Genetics, Sasaki Laboratory

Yuki Hara, Sokendai Doctoral candidate in Cell Architecture Lab, received the Poster Award at the 17th International C. elegance Meeting on June 24 – 29th in UCLA in Los Angeles. The poster title is “Cell-size dependent spindle elongation in the Caenorhabditis elegance early embryo”. Information: ● Graduate Program ● Cell Architecture Laboratory-Kimura Laboratory