Dr. Hiroyuki Araki (Division of Microbial Genetics) received the Kihara Prize of the Genetics Society Japan. The Kihara Prize is the highest honor prize of the Genetics Society Japan, which is awarded to scientists who have outstanding performance in the field of genetics. The award was given to Dr. Araki in recognition of his research works on mechanism of the initiation of DNA replication in budding yeast. The Awarding Ceremony was held on the 21st of September, as part of the 82nd Annual Meeting of the Genetics Society Japan which was held on September 20th to September 22nd, 2010.   Awarding Ceremony Date: Tuesday, September 21, 2010. Venue: Hokkaido University Award: “2010 Kihara Prize of the Genetics Society Japan” Theme: “Molecular genetic studies on mechanism of the initiation of DNA replication in budding yeast” Division of Microbial Genetics Araki Laboratory

Dr. Hiromi Hirata (Motor Neural Circuit Lab.) received the 2010 Young Investigator Award of the Japan Neuroscience Society. The Awarding Ceremony was held on the 3rd of September, as part of the Neuro2010 (Joint conference of the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Japan Neuroscience Society, the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Neurochemistry, and the 20th Annual Meeting of Japanese Neural Network Society) which was held on September 2 to September 4, 2010. The award was given in recognition of his research works on motor neural circuit in zebrafish. Awarding Ceremony Date: Friday, September 3, 2010. Venue: Kobe Portopia Hotel Award: “2010 Young Investigator Award of the Japan Neuroscience Society” Theme: “Motor development in zebrafish” Motor Neural Circuit Laboratory, H.Hirata Laboratory

Dr. Hiroki Kokubo, Mammalian Development Lab., received the Chairperson Award of the 3rd Congress of Asia-Pacific Pediatric Cardiac Society. The Awarding Ceremony was held in the evening of 7th July from 20p.m. at the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay hotel, as part of the 3rd Congress of Asia-Pacific Pediatric Cardiac Society on July 6-8th in Chiba, Japan. Dr. Kokubo gave a lecture titled “Hesr2 disrupted mice develop aortic valve disease with advancing age.

Chairperson Award: ” Hesr2 disrupted mice develop aortic valve disease with advancing age.”
Information: http://www.appcs.org/2010/

Mammalian Development Laboratory, Saga Laboratory

Dr. Toyoyuki Takada, Mammalian Genetics Lab., received the 22nd Young Investigator Award of Japanese Association for Laboratory Animal Science. The Awarding Ceremony was held on the 13th of May, as part of the 57th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Association for Laboratory Animal Science on May 12-14th in Kyoto. Dr. Takada gave a lecture titled “Establishment of experimental mouse strains for genetic dissection of quantitative complex traits” in the ceremony. Information: NIG Mouse Functional Genomics Database (http://molossinus.lab.nig.ac.jp/) Mammalian Genetics Laboratory, Shioroishi Laboratory

*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

Dr. Hideaki Sugawara, a Professor in the Laboratory for the Research and Development of Biological Databases in DDBJ at National Institute of Genetics, won the Award of Honorary Membership of the World Federation for Culture Collections and the WFCC Medal for outstanding contribution to the WFCC. Laboratory for the Research and Development of Biological Databases Sugawara Laboratory WFCC Medal Letter Hideaki medal 2008 （PDF,28.7KB）