Prof Aaron Ciechanover, Nobel Prize Laureate in Chemistry, Visits iCeMS
On December 5, Prof Aaron Ciechanover of Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute visited Kyoto University's Institute for Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS). Prof Ciechanover was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2004 for his discovery of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation.
His visit was based on his keen interest in iCeMS, one of the world-leading research institutes of Kyoto University. His request had been conveyed to iCeMS by Prof Nagahiro Minato, Executive Vice-President of Kyoto University, who is also a longtime friend of Prof Ciechanover's.
Prof Ciechanover was welcomed by iCeMS Director Susumu Kitagawa and Prof Easan Sivaniah, who described iCeMS' integrated research between Chemistry and Cell Biology. They also explained the mission of iCeMS as a global institute to contribute to the advancement of industrial, environmental and medical sciences.
Prof Sivaniah guided Prof Ciechanover through his laboratory to show him the experiment equipment and explain his study of materials chemistry by utilizing polymer membranes. Prof Ciechanover challenged the production of polymer membrane sheets by himself, following instructions of a lab member.
Prof Ciechanover's comment: "I was deeply impressed by my visit to iCeMS. Interface between Chemistry and Biology is absolutely important, and iCeMS achieves, in an ideal way, the interdisciplinary approaches essential to basic research. It also brings together the experts in those two academic disciplines, so that they work in close collaboration toward their ultimate goal of serving humankind for their benefit."
