On January 20, 2026, Nagoya University hosted the 27th Nagoya Medal Seminar and Award Ceremony at the Higashiyama Campus. The international event honored two researchers that have made significant contributions to organic chemistry: Professor Erick M. Carreira of ETH Zurich, Switzerland, who received the Gold Medal, and Professor Hajime Ito of Hokkaido University, Japan, who received the Silver Medal.
Established in 1995 by Nagoya University Distinguished Professors Ryoji Noyori and Hisashi Yamamoto with support from the MSD Life Science Foundation, the Nagoya Medal of Organic Chemistry has become internationally recognized for identifying exceptional researchers in the field. The award has demonstrated a remarkable track record—five Gold Medal recipients (Robert Grubbs, Fraser Stoddart, Ben Feringa, David MacMillan, and Carolyn Bertozzi) went on to receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry after their Nagoya Medal honors.
Professor Carreira delivered three lectures showcasing his pioneering research in hydrogen atom transfer catalysis for olefin functionalization, asymmetric catalysis using iridium and ruthenium complexes, and innovative synthetic strategies that merge total synthesis with methodology.
In his acceptance remarks, Professor Carreira reflected on the importance of community. “I was reminded by some of Professor Ito’s comments that we all go into this profession because we are passionate about the science, but what you learn over a lifetime is how important the people are. Given where you are at Nagoya University, if you look to your left and your right, chances are your neighbors are going to be famous researchers as well.”
Professor Ito presented his research on emerging mechanochemical strategies for organic chemistry. Mechanochemistry, which uses mechanical force to drive chemical reactions, represents a sustainable alternative to traditional solution-based chemistry and has gained significant attention for its environmental benefits.
“When I was a student,” Professor Ito reflected, “I never expected that I would be receiving this kind of prestigious award. All I thought was that I wanted to be original, to do original studies as much as possible, and I try to continue that today.”
The event was organized by the Nagoya Medal Seminar Organizing Committee and co-hosted by Nagoya University’s Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM) and the Graduate Program of Transformative Chem-Bio Research (GTR), with sponsorship from the MSD Life Science Foundation.
