Nobel Laureate Dr. Ferid Murad Visits the iCeMS

June 15, 2010

Dr. Murad in discussion with the iCeMS faculty

Dr. Ferid Murad, a Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine 1998 for his discoveries concerning nitric oxide as a signalling molecule in the cardiovascular system, paid a courtesy call to Kyoto University's Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) on June 14, as part of a visit to Kyoto to attend an international conference. Dr. Murad expressed interest in learning about the institute's research activities and its efforts to create new cross-disciplinary fields.

Dr. Murad, accompanied by Prof. Akinori Akaike of the university's Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, met with iCeMS Director Norio Nakatsuji, iCeMS Profs. Mitsuru Hashida and Motonari Uesugi, and iCeMS Administrative Director Shinji Tomita.

Following an overview presentation by Dr. Nakatsuji, the participants engaged in a wide-ranging discussion including meso-control, the roles of the World Premier International (WPI) centers, and the iCeMS Kyoto Fellow positions. Dr. Murad agreed that use of shared laboratories and open offices -- one of the institute's precepts -- aids communication among scientists across varied disciplines. After the discussion turned to scientific topics, Dr. Murad commented on the utility of embryonic stem (ES) cells in his own research, such as modeling cancers.

Dr. Nakatsuji then gave a tour of the iCeMS main building, including open office spaces, recreational areas, and shared laboratories.

Dr. Murad also visited and discussed the work of the Center for Meso-Bio Single-Molecule Imaging (CeMI) with iCeMS Prof. Akihiro Kusumi, director of the CeMI.

Dr. Nakatsuji (left) and Dr. Uesugi leading Dr. Murad on a tour of the main building

Mr. Koichiro Hirosawa (right), a graduate student of the laboratory of Dr. Kusumi (center), discusses his single-molecule observations with Dr. Murad.