Lecturer Kento Yamagishi received "Innovators Under 35 Japan 2024"

On 1st November 2024, Lecturer Kento Yamagishi, Department of Electrical Engineering, received "Innovators Under 35 Japan 2024".

Innovators Under 35 Japan 2024

Innovators Under 35 is a global award hosted by MIT Technology Review that recognizes and supports outstanding young innovators. Since its inception in 1999, this award has annually highlighted individuals who are solving global challenges through technological innovation. Innovators Under 35 Japan is one of the local versions of this global award and seeks to discover talents who can leverage technology to address Japan’s unique challenges, such as a declining birthrate and aging infrastructure.

About awarded research

My research team aims to contribute to the advancement of sports science and the medical field by developing ultra-thin, flexible electronic devices. In particular, we developed an "electronic nano-bandage," which, for the first time in the world, successfully measured electromyographic activity in the palm during a baseball pitcher's throw. This technology features ultra-thin electrodes, only a few hundred nanometers thick, which can be directly applied to the skin without hindering the wearer’s movement while obtaining accurate data. Additionally, through collaboration with industry, this technology has been implemented in society and is expanding its applications in athletic performance analysis and healthcare. We anticipate future applications in fields requiring precise movements, such as for musicians and surgeons.

Furthermore, my research team developed a wireless, tissue-adhesive light-emitting device for photodynamic therapy (PDT). This device adheres to tumor tissues like a sticker and uses photosensitizers to target cancer. As the world's first implantable PDT system, it has demonstrated effectiveness in tumor-bearing model mice, marking a significant step toward clinical application. This breakthrough is expected to significantly enhance the precision of optical technology in cancer treatment.

Your impression & future plan

I am deeply grateful to the collaborators who contributed to this research, as well as to my family and friends who supported me throughout my research life.

Having been deeply involved in sports such as baseball, track and field, and judo since childhood, I am honored that my research has been recognized for contributing to the advancement of sports science. Although my childhood dream of becoming an athlete has not come true, I feel privileged to contribute, even in a small way, to the revolution of Japan's sports culture as an engineer. Moving forward, I will keep working hard on my research, aiming for the societal implementation of new bio-signal measurement technologies based on the "electronic nano-bandage".  Additionally, I am committed to developing new technologies that can help improve athletes' performance, and one day, I dream of contributing to my beloved Chunichi Dragons winning the national championship.

In my research on cancer treatment, I aim to bring a Japanese-originated cancer therapy, combining ultra-thin electronics and optical technology, to practical use. I will continue dedicating all my efforts to advancing this research so that it can reach patients as soon as possible.