Dr Tasuku Honjo, a medical scientist and professor at Kyoto University, Japan, has been named as one of the three laureates of the 2016 Kyoto Prize for his contribution in the field of Basic Sciences.
Dr Honjo discovered the mechanism responsible for the functional diversification of antibodies, immunoregulatory molecules and clinical applications of PD-1, whose function has led to the development of effective cancer immunotherapy. His discoveries and their clinical applications have influenced research in the life sciences and medicine, making contributions to human welfare. He proposed the class switch recombination (CSR) model of antibody diversification and cloned activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), responsible for the CSR.
Furthermore, he identified several important immune-regulatory molecules, including PD-1. Clinical trials, employing the humanised anti-PD-1 antibody, showed marked efficacy against many kinds of cancer, and the antibody is now applied to the patients.
Dr Honjo, from Kyoto, has received many prizes and honours including the Robert-Koch-Preis and the Order of Culture from the Japanese government. He is a member of Leopoldina, the National Academy of Sciences, the American Association of Immunologists and the Japan Academy.
The prize is organised by the Inamori Foundation.
Honjo will receive a diploma, the 20-karat gold Kyoto Prize medal and prize money of YEN50 million. The prize presentation ceremony will be held at the Kyoto International Conference Centre on 10 November. The laureates will give commemorative lectures on 11 November and will attend respective workshops on 12 November.
