Dr. Kazuyuki Tatsumi, Director of the ResearchCenter for Materials Science, has received the Japan Academy Prize. The Japan Academy Prize was established by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to reward scientists with outstanding academic achievements. It is awarded by the JapanAcademy with the objective of conducting activities contributing to academic and scientific development, and for outstanding theses, books, and other research works distinguishing remarkable scientists.
Director Tatsumi won the prize for his work in research on the bioinorganic chemistry of the active sites of metalloreductases. He discovered a unique method to synthesize transition metal sulfur clusters, and succeeded in clarifying the electronic properties and reactivity of their redox behavior. Furthermore, through his success in synthesizing the active site of acetyl CoA synthase through dinuclear nickel models and achieving the model reaction cycle of this enzyme, he has revealed new facets of bioinorganic chemistry, and expanded the scope of the discipline, opening up the first steps in unraveling the intricate natural structures concentrated within metalloenzymes.
Relevant website: Japan Academy