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is a Japanese
biochemist Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. They study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. Biochemists study DNA, proteins and Cell (biology), cell parts. The word "biochemist" is a portmanteau of ...
. He is known for the discovery and development of hundreds of
pharmaceuticals Medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal product, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the ...
originally occurring in
microorganism A microorganism, or microbe, is an organism of microscopic scale, microscopic size, which may exist in its unicellular organism, single-celled form or as a Colony (biology)#Microbial colonies, colony of cells. The possible existence of unseen ...
s. In 2015, he was awarded the
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine () is awarded yearly by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute for outstanding discoveries in physiology or medicine. The Nobel Prize is not a single prize, but five separate prizes that, acco ...
jointly with William C. Campbell for their role in the discovery of avermectins and
ivermectin Ivermectin is an antiparasitic drug. After its discovery in 1975, its first uses were in veterinary medicine to prevent and treat heartworm and acariasis. Approved for human use in 1987, it is used to treat infestations including head lice ...
, the world's first endectocide and a safe and highly effective microfilaricide. It is believed that the large molecular size of ivermectin prevents it from crossing the blood/
aqueous humour The aqueous humour is a transparent water-like fluid similar to blood plasma, but containing low protein concentrations. It is secreted from the ciliary body, a structure supporting the lens of the eyeball. It fills both the anterior and the po ...
barrier, and renders the drug an important treatment of helminthically-derived blindness.


Early life and education

Satoshi Ōmura was born in Nirasaki, Yamanashi Japan in 1935, the second son of Ōmura family. After graduating from the University of Yamanashi in 1958, he was appointed to science teacher at Tokyo Metropolitan Sumida Tech High School. In 1960, he became an auditor of Koji Nakanishi’s course at Tokyo University of Education, one year later, he enrolled in the Tokyo University of Science (TUS) and studied sciences. Ōmura received his M.S. degree from TUS and his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the
University of Tokyo The University of Tokyo (, abbreviated as in Japanese and UTokyo in English) is a public research university in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1877 as the nation's first modern university by the merger of several pre-westernisation era ins ...
(1968, a Dissertation PhD) and a Ph.D. in
Chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...
at TUS (1970).


Career

Since 1965 Ōmura served at Kitasato Institute system.大村智北里研究所顧問・北里大学名誉教授が文化功労者に
北里大学 2012年11月1日
From 1970 to 1990, he also became a part-time lecturer at Tokyo University of Science. In 1971 while he was a visiting professor at
Wesleyan University Wesleyan University ( ) is a Private university, private liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut, United States. It was founded in 1831 as a Men's colleges in the United States, men's college under the Methodi ...
, he consulted the chairman of the
American Chemical Society The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 155,000 members at all ...
, Max Tishler, at an international conference. Together they successfully acquired research expenses from Merck & Co.「人間発見」日本経済新聞2010年7月14日 Ōmura was considering continuing his research in the United States, but ultimately he decided to return to Japan. In 1973, he became a director of the antibiotic laboratory at Kitasato University, and he also started collaborative research with Merck & Co.「 新しい微生物創薬の世界を切り開く 」
JT
In 1975, he became professor of Kitasato University School of Pharmacy. Meanwhile, the Ōmura laboratory raised many researchers and produced 31 university professors and 120 doctors. At present date, Ōmura is professor emeritus at Kitasato University and Max Tishler Professor of Chemistry at Wesleyan University.


Research

Satoshi Ōmura is known for the discovery and development of various pharmaceuticals originally occurring in microorganisms. He was awarded the 2015
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine () is awarded yearly by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute for outstanding discoveries in physiology or medicine. The Nobel Prize is not a single prize, but five separate prizes that, acco ...
jointly with William C. Campbell for discoveries concerning a novel therapy against infections caused by roundworm
parasites Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The en ...
. More precisely, his research group isolated a strain of '' Streptomyces avermitilis'' that produce the anti-parasitical compound avermectin. Campbell later acquired these bacteria and developed the derived drug
ivermectin Ivermectin is an antiparasitic drug. After its discovery in 1975, its first uses were in veterinary medicine to prevent and treat heartworm and acariasis. Approved for human use in 1987, it is used to treat infestations including head lice ...
that was first commercialised for veterinary use in 1981 later put to human use against
Onchocerciasis Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is a disease caused by infection with the parasitic worm ''Onchocerca volvulus''. Symptoms include severe itching, bumps under the skin, and blindness. It is the second-most common cause of blindne ...
in 1987–88 with the name Mectizan, and is today used against
river blindness Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is a disease caused by infection with the parasitic worm ''Onchocerca volvulus''. Symptoms include severe itching, bumps under the skin, and blindness. It is the second-most common cause of blindne ...
,
lymphatic filariasis Lymphatic filariasis is a human disease caused by parasitic worms known as filarial worms. Usually acquired in childhood, it is a leading cause of permanent disability worldwide, impacting over a hundred million people and manifesting itself in ...
,
scabies Scabies (; also sometimes known as the seven-year itch) is a contagious human skin infestation by the tiny (0.2–0.45 mm) mite ''Sarcoptes scabiei'', variety ''hominis''. The word is from . The most common symptoms are severe itchiness a ...
, other parasitic infections.Press release
NobelPrize.org
Since the 1970s, Ōmura has discovered more than 480 new compounds, of which 25 kinds of drugs and reagents are in use. Examples include andrastin, herbimycin, neoxaline as well as: *a specific inhibitor of protein kinase named staurosporine; *a proteasome inhibitor named lactacystin; *a fatty acid biosynthesis inhibitor named cerulenin; Furthermore, compounds having a unique structure and biological activity discovered by Omura are drawing attention in drug discovery research, and new anticancer drugs and the like have been created.


Selected publications

* * * * * * * * *


Social role

Ōmura served as deputy director and director at the Kitasato Institute. He was devoted to rebuild the laboratory and promoting the establishment of the medical center that is no
Kitasato University Medical Center
Meanwhile, he established a path to rebuilding of the corporate school juridical person, which has integrated with the School corporation Kitasato Gakuen. He succeeded in establishing a new "School corporation Kitasato Institute". In addition, he served as president of the School corporation Joshibi University of Art and Design twice, and served as the honorary school chief of the School corporation Kaichi Gakuen. In 2007, he established th
Nirasaki Omura Art Museum
on his collection.


Awards and honors

A Children's statues leading to adults of
onchocerciasis Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is a disease caused by infection with the parasitic worm ''Onchocerca volvulus''. Symptoms include severe itching, bumps under the skin, and blindness. It is the second-most common cause of blindne ...
before Kitasato University buildings were produced by sculptors of
Burkina Faso Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. It covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,87 ...
in honor of Ōmura's contributions of avermectin and ivermectin, a symbol of the campaign to eradicate onchocerciasis. Similar life-sized bronze statues were erected in
World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
(WHO) Headquarters,
Carter Center The Carter Center is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization founded in 1982 by former U.S. president Jimmy Carter. He and his wife Rosalynn Carter partnered with Emory University after his defeat in the 1980 United States presidential ele ...
, Merck & Co.,
World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and Grant (money), grants to the governments of Least developed countries, low- and Developing country, middle-income countries for the purposes of economic development ...
Headquarters, and Burkina Faso's World Health Organization Africa Onchocerciasis Control Program. * 1985 – Hoechst-Roussel Award * 1986 – The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan Award * 1988 – Uehara Prize * 1990 –
Japan Academy Prize (academics) The is a prize awarded by the Japan Academy in recognition of academic theses, books, and achievements. Overviews An award ceremony has been held every year since 1911. Up to nine of these Prizes are awarded every year. There have been 676 w ...
* 1992 – Medal with Purple Ribbon * 1995 – Fujihara Award * 1997 – Robert Koch Gold Medal * 1998 – Prince Mahidol Award * 2000 – Nakanishi Prize (
American Chemical Society The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 155,000 members at all ...
and Chemical Society of Japan) * 2005 – Ernest Guenther Award in the Chemistry of Natural Products (American Chemical Society) * 2007 – Hamao Umezawa Memorial Award * 2008 – Knight of the
Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
of
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
* 2010 – Tetrahedron Prize for Creativity in Organic Chemistry * 2011 – Arima Award * 2011 – Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Star * 2012 – Person of Cultural Merit * 2014 – Canada Gairdner Global Health Award * 2015 –
Asahi Prize The , established in 1929, is an award presented by the Japanese newspaper ''Asahi Shimbun'' and Asahi Shimbun Foundation to honor individuals and groups that have made outstanding accomplishments in the fields of arts and academics and have greatl ...
* 2015 – The Order of Cultural Merit * 2015 –
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine () is awarded yearly by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute for outstanding discoveries in physiology or medicine. The Nobel Prize is not a single prize, but five separate prizes that, acco ...
* 2016 – Japan Bioindustry Association (JBA) Special Honorary Award * 2016 – Society for Actinomycetes Japan (SAJ) Special Honorary Award * 2016 –
Asian Scientist 100 The Asian Scientist 100 is an annually published list of 100 prize-winning Asian researchers, academicians, innovators and business leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region and a range of scientific disciplines. Recipients "must have received ...
, ''
Asian Scientist ''Asian Scientist'' is an English language science and technology magazine published in Singapore. History and profile ''Asian Scientist'' was launched as a blog in March 2011 by Juliana Chan. The blog's popularity eventually led to a partnersh ...
''


Honorary doctorates

List of honorary doctorates: * 1992 – Lajos Kossuth University, Hungary * 1994 –
Wesleyan University Wesleyan University ( ) is a Private university, private liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut, United States. It was founded in 1831 as a Men's colleges in the United States, men's college under the Methodi ...
, USA * 2016 –
Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) is a public university in Shanghai, China. It is affiliated with the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Ministry of Education of China. The university is part of Project 211, Project 98 ...
, China * 2018 –
University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews (, ; abbreviated as St And in post-nominals) is a public university in St Andrews, Scotland. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, f ...
, Scotland


Learned societies membership

* 1992 – Academy of Sciences Leopoldina * 1999 –
National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the ...
* 2001 –
Japan Academy The Japan Academy ( Japanese: 日本学士院, ''Nihon Gakushiin'') is an honorary organisation and science academy founded in 1879 to bring together leading Japanese scholars with distinguished records of scientific achievements. The Academy is ...
* 2002 –
Académie des sciences The French Academy of Sciences (, ) is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French Scientific method, scientific research. It was at the forefron ...
* 2005 –
Russian Academy of Sciences The Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS; ''Rossíyskaya akadémiya naúk'') consists of the national academy of Russia; a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation; and additional scientific and social units such ...
* 2005 –
Royal Society of Chemistry The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) is a learned society and professional association in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemistry, chemical sciences". It was formed in 1980 from the amalgamation of the Chemical Society, the ...
* 2005 –
Academia Europaea The Academia Europaea is a pan-European Academy of humanities, letters, law, and sciences. The Academia was founded in 1988 as a functioning Europe-wide Academy that encompasses all fields of scholarly inquiry. It acts as co-ordinator of Europe ...
* 2006 –
Chinese Academy of Engineering The Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE, ) is the national academy of the People's Republic of China for engineering. It was established in 1994 and is an institution of the State Council of China. The CAE and the Chinese Academy of Sciences a ...
* 2009 – Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry * 2014 – * 2016 – Japan Pharmaceutical Association * 2016 �
Japan Society of Synthetic Organic Chemistry
* 2016 �
Japan Society of Chemotherapy


See also

* Lactacystin, Cerulenin, Andrastin A, Herbimycin, and Neoxaline * Koji Nakanishi *
Tohru Fukuyama is a Japanese organic chemist and Professor of Chemistry at University of Tokyo in Japan. He discovered the Fukuyama coupling in 1998. Biography Fukuyama studied chemistry at Nagoya University with degrees Bachelor's (1971) and Master's (1973) ...
*
Kitasato Shibasaburō Baron was a Japanese physician and bacteriologist. He is remembered as the co-discoverer of the infectious agent of bubonic plague in Hong Kong during an outbreak in 1894, almost simultaneously with Alexandre Yersin. Kitasato was nomin ...
* List of Japanese Nobel laureates * List of Nobel laureates affiliated with the University of Tokyo


References


External links


Professor Satoshi Omura



Nirasaki Omura Art Museum

Satoshi Ōmura Quotes With Pictures
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Omura, Satoshi 1935 births Living people Japanese Nobel laureates Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine Foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences Members of the French Academy of Sciences Recipients of the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 2nd class Recipients of the Medal with Purple Ribbon Knights of the Legion of Honour 21st-century Japanese biochemists 21st-century Japanese inventors People from Yamanashi Prefecture Tokyo University of Science alumni University of Tokyo alumni Wesleyan University faculty Japanese art collectors Museum founders Recipients of the Order of Culture Foreign members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering 20th-century Japanese inventors Scientists from Yamanashi Prefecture