Dr. Shinya Yamanaka Receives 2010 Kyoto Prize in "Advanced Technology" for Work with Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Gladstone Institute researcher to speak at San Diego State University in April 2011

Photo downloads: Laureate Shinya Yamanaka

KYOTO, JAPAN — November 10, 2010 — The non-profit Inamori Foundation (President: Dr. Kazuo Inamori) today presented Dr. Shinya Yamanaka with its 26th annual Kyoto Prize in Advanced Technology, which focuses for 2010 on the fields of Biotechnology and Medical Technology.

Yamanaka, 48, is a senior investigator at the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease in San Francisco; professor at Kyoto University; and director of CiRA, Kyoto University’s Center for iPS Cell Research and Application. He received the Kyoto Prize for developing a technology to generate induced pluripotent stem cells, otherwise known as iPS cells.

Dr. Yamanaka’s Achievements
Pluripotent stem cells are believed to hold tremendous future promise for treating human injury and disease because of their ability to grow into virtually any type of differentiated cell. For years, however, research in this area has faced two impediments. The first has been primarily an ethical concern:  traditional technologies have derived stem cells from human embryos, which are destroyed in the process. The second impediment is the risk of immunological rejection, since transplanted embryonic stem (ES) cells are not the patient’s own cells. Dr. Yamanaka’s work is making historic progress in overcoming both of these issues.

Determined to find a way to develop stem cells that would not destroy human embryos, Dr. Yamanaka focused his research on “reprogramming” adult skin cells. By introducing just four transcription factor genes into dermal fibroblasts, he succeeded in creating “induced pluripotent” stem (iPS) cells, which exhibit pluripotency similar to that of embryonic stem (ES) cells. The potential of this achievement includes the possibility of future stem cell therapies that could be based on a patient’s own cells.

Dr. Yamanaka’s iPS cell technology also holds promise for revealing the pathologies of human diseases. It could one day provide insights into treating illnesses now considered incurable, and aid in the screening process for drug discovery and drug toxicity testing. Over the long term, Dr. Yamanaka’s work has the potential to expand the possibilities of regenerative medicine, and the medical sciences overall.

Other 2010 Kyoto Prize Recipients
The Kyoto Prize in “Basic Sciences” was presented today to Dr. László Lovász, 62, a mathematician recognized for his pioneering work with algorithms. Dr. Lovász, a citizen of both the U.S. and Hungary, serves as director of the Mathematical Institute at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest.

The Kyoto Prize in “Arts and Philosophy” was presented today to Mr. William Kentridge, 55, a visual artist from Johannesburg, South Africa, who has created an original art form by fusing traditional drawing with animation, video and other media.

All three 2010 Kyoto Prize laureates will reconvene April 4-6, 2011 for the tenth annual Kyoto Prize Symposium in San Diego, California.

The Kyoto Prize
The Kyoto Prize is Japan’s highest private award for global achievement, honoring significant contributions to the betterment of humankind. It consists of a diploma, a 20-karat-gold Kyoto Prize medal, and a cash gift totaling 50 million yen (approximately US$610,000) per category.

The Inamori Foundation
The non-profit Inamori Foundation was established in 1984 by Dr. Kazuo Inamori, founder and chairman emeritus of Kyocera and KDDI Corporation. The Foundation created the Kyoto Prize in 1985, in line with Dr. Inamori’s belief that a human being has no higher calling than to strive for the greater good of society, and that the future of humanity can be assured only when there is a balance between our scientific progress and our spiritual depth. As of the 26th Kyoto Prize ceremony (November 10, 2010), the prize has been awarded to 84 individuals and one foundation — collectively representing 15 nations. Individual laureates range from scientists, engineers and researchers to philosophers, painters, architects, sculptors, musicians and film directors.  The United States has produced the most recipients (34), followed by Japan (14), the United Kingdom (12), and France (8).