On 19th December 2024, Professor Takamasa Sakai, Department of Bioengineering, received the 21st Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Prize and the 21st Japan Academy Medal.
The JSPS Prize was established to recognize and support young researchers with rich creativity and exceptional research ability at an early stage in their careers, in order to raise the level of scientific research in Japan to the world’s highest standard.
The Japan Academy Medal is awarded to a maximum of six young researchers who have demonstrated outstanding research achievements and are expected to play a prominent role in the future. The selection process is conducted among the recipients of the JSPS Prize.
About the Awarded Research
Precision gel science is a new research field that challenges the conventional concept of gel heterogeneity assumed in traditional gel science. In the past, the structural heterogeneity of gels hindered their practical use by creating challenges in material property evaluation and medical applications.
In this study, through the development of tetra-gel, we elucidated in detail the correlation between the structure and properties of gels and proposed a new framework to reexamine the conventional paradigm. Specifically, we discovered phenomena that are difficult to explain using traditional approaches—such as the negative energy elasticity inherent in gel elasticity, the universal equation-of-state for osmotic pressure, and gel–gel phase separation observed in dilute regions.
Furthermore, based on our fundamental research results, we succeeded in designing and developing non-swelling gels for medical applications. In particular, applied products such as an artificial vitreous, hemostatic agents, and adhesion barriers are under consideration, and efforts to bring these products to practical use through the university spin-off company, Gellycle Inc., are ongoing.
Comments
I sincerely thank the students who have participated in our research, all our collaborative researchers, and the laboratory staff. Moving forward, I plan to continue integrated research—from basic studies to applications—to make gel an even more mainstream material.
[Related Web Sites]
21st (FY2024) JSPS Prize recipients:
https://www.jsps.go.jp/file/storage/e-jsps-prize/awards/21st_JSPSprize_list_en.pdf
Recipients of the Japan Academy Medal elected: https://www.japan-acad.go.jp/en/news/2025/011401.html
Sakai Lab.: https://gel.tokyo/publications
Professor Eiji Saitoh received Japan Academy Prize
Assistant Professor Takeshi Katsuda, recieved Best Presentation Award, The 31st Japanese Society for the Research of Hepatic Cells
