Award year 2020～2025

Year Name Title of Award Review in BBB
2025 Kohei Ogura Diversity and ecological roles of alginate lyases in marine and human microbial ecosystems
Yu Takahashi Human intestinal organoids as a valuable tool to investigate human intestinal biology
2024 Teruyo Ojima-Kato Advances in recombinant protein production in microorganisms and functional peptide tags
Naoki Kitaoka Existence, biosynthesis, metabolism, bioactivities, and biological functions of 12-hydroxyjasmonates
Haruya Takahashi Application of mass spectrometry data for health evaluation
Tatsuya Fujii Mechanistic analysis of lignocellulosic biomass saccharification by the filamentous fungus Talaromyces cellulolyticus
Takakazu Mitani Functional expression mechanisms of food-derived components based on target proteins
Yuta Murai Elucidation of physiological functions of sphingolipid-related molecules by chemical approaches
2023 Naoya Kataoka Ketogluconate production by Gluconobacter strains: enzymes and biotechnological applications
Yuya Sato Transcriptome analysis: a powerful tool to understand individual microbial behaviors and interactions in ecosystems
Takayoshi Tagami Structural insights into starch-metabolizing enzymes and their applications
Takeaki Tezuka Microscopic and molecular genetic analyses of morphological development of the actinomycete Actinoplanes missouriensis
Akira Nishimura Regulations and functions of proline utilization in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Shunsuke Masuo Microbial production of aromatic compounds and synthesis of high-performance bioplastics
Tomohiko Matsuzawa Plant polysaccharide degradation-related enzymes in Aspergillus oryzae
Tetsuya Miyamoto Multifunctional enzymes related to amino acid metabolism in bacteria
Takuya Yamaguchi Exploration and utilization of novel aldoxime, nitrile, and nitro compounds metabolizing enzymes from plants and arthropods
2022 Takenobu Ogawa Elucidation of the mechanism by which the internal structure of food controls the quality
Taro Ozaki Structural diversification of fungal natural products by oxidative enzymes
Ryo Katsuta Advancement in structure elucidation of natural medium-sized lactones through synthesis and theoretical calculations
Takuto Kumano Specialized metabolites degradation by microorganisms
Yoshiya Seto Latest knowledge on strigolactone biosynthesis and perception
Sachi Tanaka Modulation of immune function and changes in intestinal flora by Brassica rapa L. (Nozawana)
Mizuki Tanaka Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of genes encoding secretory proteins in Aspergillus oryzae
Daisuke Matsui Development of oxidoreductases for amino acid quantification and mutagenesis techniques for heterologous soluble expression: screening and selection strategies
Yoko Yamashita Physiological functions of poorly absorbed polyphenols via the glucagon-like peptide-1
2021 Yohei Ishibashi Functions and applications of glycolipid-hydrolyzing microbial glycosidases
Shinsaku Ito Recent advances in the regulation of root parasitic weed damage by strigolactone-related chemicals
Tomokazu Ito Role of the conserved pyridoxal 5ʹ-phosphate-binding protein YggS/PLPBP in vitamin B6 and amino acid homeostasis
Yusuke Ogura Total syntheses of dihydro-beta-agarofuran natural products
Thanutchaporn Kumrungsee Is hepatic GABA transaminase a promising target for obesity and epilepsy treatments?
Katsuhisa Kurogi Evolution and multiple functions of sulfonation and cytosolic sulfotransferases across species
Michio Sato Structural diversity of decalin forming Diels–Alderase
Yosuke Tashiro Bacterial membrane vesicles with multiple lipid bilayers: vesicles harboring organelle-like structures
Taiki Futagami The white koji fungus Aspergillus luchuensis mut. kawachii
Takanori Maruta How does light facilitate vitamin C biosynthesis in leaves?
2020 Genki Akanuma Diverse relationships between metal ions and the ribosome
Takeshi Ikeda Bacterial biosilicification: a new insight into the global silicon cycle
Masaru Enomoto Recent advances in the total syntheses of indole diterpenoids
Makoto Ogata Functional design of glycan-conjugated molecules using a chemoenzymatic approach
Akihito Ochiai Discovery of new functions of food proteins and their structural development for multifunctional applications
Akifumi Sugiyama Flavonoids and saponins in plant rhizospheres: roles, dynamics, and the potential for agriculture
Tomohiro Suzuki Genetic sequence analysis and characterization of bioactive compounds in mushroom-forming fungi
Ken-ichiro Nakajima Neural insights into sweet taste transduction and hunger-induced taste modification in mice
Yujiro Higuchi Membrane traffic related to endosome dynamics and protein secretion in filamentous fungi
Yuichi Masuda Bioactive 3D structures of naturally occurring peptides and their application in drug design

Award year 2010～2019

Year Name Title of Award Review in BBB
2019 Yasuhiro Ishimaru Challenges and opportunities to regulate mineral transport in rice
Daisuke Kasai Poly(cis-1,4-isoprene)-cleavage enzymes from natural rubber-utilizing bacteria
Kazunori Kume Control of cellular organization and its coordination with the cell cycle
Shin Kurihara Polyamine metabolism and transport in gut microbes
Atsushi Kouzuma Molecular mechanisms regulating the catabolic and electrochemical activities of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1
Takaaki Kojima Ultra-high-throughput analysis of functional biomolecules using in vitro selection and bioinformatics
Michio Suzuki Structural and functional analyses of organic molecules regulating biomineralization
Nobutaka Fujieda His-Cys and Trp-Cys cross-links generated by post-translational chemical modification
Masatoshi Murai Exploring the binding pocket of quinone/inhibitors in mitochondrial respiratory complex I by chemical biology approaches
Satoru Watanabe Cyanobacterial multi-copy chromosomes and their replication
2018 Makoto Ihara Ligand-gated ion channels as targets of neuroactive insecticides
Yasushi Ogasawara New enzymes for peptide biosynthesis in microorganisms
Yohei Katsuyama Mining novel biosynthetic machineries of secondary metabolites from actinobacteria
Eisuke Kato Bioactive compounds in plant materials for the prevention of diabetesand obesity
Tsuyoshi Goto A review of the studies on food-derived factors which regulate energy metabolism via the modulation of lipid-sensing nuclear receptors
Seiya Tsujimura From fundamentals to applications of bioelectrocatalysis: bioelectrocatalytic reactions of FAD-dependent glucose dehydrogenase and bilirubin oxidase
Masanori Toyofuku Bacterial communication through membrane vesicles
Naoki Harada Role of androgens in energy metabolism affecting on body composition, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and longevity: lessons from a meta-analysis and rodent studies
Satoshi Wakai Biochemical and thermodynamic analyses of energy conversion in extremophiles
2017 Takuji Oka Biosynthesis of galactomannans found in filamentous fungi belonging to Pezizomycotina
Kenji Kai Bacterial quorum sensing in symbiotic and pathogenic relationships with hosts
Takao Koeduka Functional evolution of biosynthetic enzymes that produce plant volatiles
Jae-Hoon Choi Biologically functional molecules from mushroom-forming fungi
Masataka Narukawa Physiological responses to taste signals of functional food components
Akimasa Miyanaga Structure and function of polyketide biosynthetic enzymes: various strategies for production of structurally diverse polyketides
Rie Mukai Prenylation enhances the biological activity of dietary flavonoids by altering their bioavailability
Naoki Mori Synthetic studies on optically active furofuran and diarylbutane lignans
2016 Shumpei Asamizu Biosynthesis of nitrogen-containing natural products, C7N aminocyclitols and bis-indoles, from actinomycetes
Hideaki Oike Modulation of circadian clocks by nutrients and food factors
Motoyuki Shimizu NAD+/NADH homeostasis affects metabolic adaptation to hypoxia and secondary metabolite production in filamentous fungi
Masaki Shintani The behavior of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in different environments
Takeo Tomita Structure, function, and regulation of enzymes involved in amino acid metabolism of bacteria and archaea
Taiji Nomura Function and application of a non-ester-hydrolyzing carboxylesterase discovered in tulip
Daisuke Watanabe Pleiotropic functions of the yeast Greatwall-family protein kinase Rim15p: a novel target for the control of alcoholic fermentation
2015 Takafumi Itoh Structures and functions of carbohydrate-active enzymes of chitinolytic bacteria Paenibacillus sp. str. FPU-7
Hidekazu Katayama Structure–activity relationship of crustacean peptide hormones
Wataru Saburi Functions, structures, and applications of cellobiose 2-epimerase and glycoside hydrolase family 130 mannoside phosphorylases
Nobukazu Shitan Secondary metabolites in plants: transport and self-tolerance mechanisms
Hideaki Takano The regulatory mechanism underlying light-inducible production of carotenoids in nonphototrophic bacteria
Takuya Miyakawa Structural basis for the regulation of phytohormone receptors
Noriyuki Miyoshi Chemical alterations and regulations of biomolecules in lifestyle-related diseases
Yukinori Yabuta Functions of heat shock transcription factors involved in response to photooxidative stresses in Arabidopsis
Naoko Yoshinaga Physiological function and ecological aspects of fatty acid-amino acid conjugates in insects
2014 Yoshiyuki Ohtsubo Algorisms used for in silico finishing of bacterial genomes based on short-read assemblage implemented in GenoFinisher, AceFileViewer, and ShortReadManager
Takahiro Shibata 15-Deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 as an electrophilic mediator
Tsuyoshi Tsuduki Research on food and nutrition characteristics of conjugated fatty acids
Tomoyuki Numata Mechanisms of the tRNA wobble cytidine modification essential for AUA codon decoding in prokaryotes
Yoshinori Fujimura Small molecule-sensing strategy and techniques for understanding the functionality of green tea
Soichi Furukawa Studies on formation, control and application of biofilm formed by food related microorganisms
Yukie Maruyama Structural studies on bacterial system used in the recognition and uptake of the macromolecule alginate
Kazuya Yoshimura Versatile physiological functions of the Nudix hydrolase family in Arabidopsis
2013 Kenji Arakawa Genetic and biochemical analysis of the antibiotic biosynthetic gene clusters on the Streptomyces linear plasmid
Kimitsune Ishizaki Evolution of land plants: insights from molecular studies on basal lineages
Shinji Okada The taste system of small fish species
Tetsuhiro Ogawa tRNA-targeting ribonucleases: molecular mechanisms and insights into their physiological roles
Masaki Kuse Chromophores in photoproteins of a glowing squid and mollusk
Mamoru Nishimoto Large scale production of lacto-N-biose I, a building block of type I human milk oligosaccharides, using sugar phosphorylases
Kazutake Hirooka Transcriptional response machineries of Bacillus subtilis conducive to plant growth promotion
Kimihiko Mizutani High-throughput plasmid construction using homologous recombination in yeast: its mechanisms and application to protein production for X-ray crystallography
Kazuma Murakami Conformation-specific antibodies to target amyloid β oligomers and their application to immunotherapy for Alzheimer’s disease
Kaneyoshi Yamamoto The hierarchic network of metal-response transcription factors in Escherichia coli
2012 Hiromune Ando Synthetic approach toward complexity of sialic acid-containing glycans
Yoshiro Ishimaru Molecular mechanisms underlying the reception and transmission of sour taste information
Kouji KURAMOCHI Synthetic and Structure-Activity Relationship Studies on Bioactive Natural Products
Akiko Saito Challenges and complexity of functionality evaluation of flavan-3-ol derivatives
Hideo Satsu Molecular and cellular studies on the absorption, function, and safety of food components in intestinal epithelial cells
Tsutomu SATO Unique Biosynthesis of Sesquarterpenes (C35 Terpenes)
Takeshi ZENDO Screening and Characterization of Novel Bacteriocins from Lactic Acid Bacteria
Kiyotaka NAKAGAWA Studies Targeting α-Glucosidase Inhibition, Antiangiogenic Effects, and Lipid Modification Regulation: Background, Evaluation, and Challenges in the Development of Food Ingredients for Therapeutic Purposes
Hiromichi MINAMI Fermentative Production of Plant Benzylisoquinoline Alkaloids in Microbes
2011 Wataru Ise Development and function of follicular helper T cells
Kentaro Ifuku Localization and functional characterization of the extrinsic subunits of photosystem II: an update
Takane Katayama Host-derived glycans serve as selected nutrients for the gut microbe: human milk oligosaccharides and bifidobacteria
Hiroyuki KONNO Synthesis of Bioactive Natural Products as Protein Inhibitors
Hideki Shibata Adaptor functions of the Ca2+-binding protein ALG-2 in protein transport from the endoplasmic reticulum
Takuya TASHIRO Structure-Activity Relationship Studies of Novel Glycosphingolipids That Stimulate Natural Killer T-Cells
Masahiro Tamoi Diversity of regulatory mechanisms of photosynthetic carbon metabolism in plants and algae
Yu NAKAGAWA Artificial Analogs of Naturally Occurring Tumor Promoters as Biochemical Tools and Therapeutic Leads
Shinji Nagata Feeding modulation in insects through factors in the hemolymph
Ryusuke Niwa Enzymes for ecdysteroid biosynthesis: their biological functions in insects and beyond
2010 Takashi INAOKA Activation of Dormant Secondary Metabolism Neotrehalosadiamine Synthesis by an RNA Polymerase Mutation in Bacillus subtilis
Kazunori OKADA The Biosynthesis of Isoprenoids and the Mechanisms Regulating It in Plants
Masahiro OKADA Post-Translational Isoprenylation of Tryptophan
Masayuki OKUYAMA Function and Structure Studies of GH Family 31 and 97 α-Glycosidases
Taiho KAMBE An Overview of a Wide Range of Functions of ZnT and Zip Zinc Transporters in the Secretory Pathway
Shin-ichiro NARITA ABC Transporters Involved in the Biogenesis of the Outer Membrane in Gram-Negative Bacteria
Yoshimitsu HAMANO Occurrence, Biosynthesis, Biodegradation, and Industrial and Medical Applications of a Naturally Occurring ε-Poly-L-lysine
Zui FUJIMOTO Structure and Function of Carbohydrate-Binding Module Families 13 and 42 of Glycoside Hydrolases, Comprising a β-Trefoil Fold
Takumi MISAKA Development of a Cultured Cell-Based Human-Taste Evaluation System
Arata YAJIMA Synthesis of Microbial Signaling Molecules and Their Stereochemistry-Activity Relationships

Award year 2003～2009

Year Name Title of Award Review in BBB
2009 Takehito INABA Bilateral Communication between Plastid and the Nucleus: Plastid Protein Import and Plastid-to-Nucleus Retrograde Signaling
Yoshichika KAWAI Immunochemical Detection of Food-Derived Polyphenols in the Aorta: Macrophages as a Major Target Underlying the Anti-Atherosclerotic Activity of Polyphenols
Eiji SAKURADANI Advances in the Production of Various Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids through Oleaginous Fungus Mortierella alpina Breeding
Kyoko TAKAHASHI Interaction between the Intestinal Immune System and Commensal Bacteria and Its Effect on the Regulation of Allergic Reactions
Hiroaki TATENO SUEL-Related Lectins, a Lectin Family Widely Distributed throughout Organisms
Yuichi HONGOH Diversity and Genomes of Uncultured Microbial Symbionts in the Termite Gut
Ichiro MATSUMOTO Gustatory Neural Pathways Revealed by Genetic Tracing from Taste Receptor Cells
Nobuyuki MARUYAMA The Development of Transgenic Crops to Improve Human Health by Advanced Utilization of Seed Storage Proteins
Takafumi YAMASHINO From a Repressilator-Based Circadian Clock Mechanism to an External Coincidence Model Responsible for Photoperiod and Temperature Control of Plant Architecture in Arabodopsis thaliana
2008 Shingo IZAWA Ethanol Stress Response in the mRNA Flux of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Ken ISHIGAMI Synthetic Studies of Natural 10-Membered Lactones, Mueggelone, Microcarpalide, and Sch 642305, Which Have Interesting Bioactivities
Masaru UENO Roles of DNA Repair Proteins in Telomere Maintenance
Hiroyasu ONAKA Biosynthesis of Indolocarbazole and Goadsporin, Two Different Heterocyclic Antibiotics Produced by Actinomycetes
Kyoko KANAMARU Roles of the His-Asp Phosphorelay Signal Transduction System in Controlling Cell Growth and Development in Aspergillus nidulans
Ryouichi FUKUDA Metabolism of Hydrophobic Carbon Sources and Regulation of It in n-Alkane-Assimilating Yeast Yarrowia lipolytica
Shinya FUSHINOBU Unique Sugar Metabolic Pathways of Bifidobacteria
Michinori MATSUO ATP-Binding Cassette Proteins Involved in Glucose and Lipid Homeostasis
Yoshiyuki MIZUSHINA Specific Inhibitors of Mammalian DNA Polymerase Species
Kenji WATANABE Exploring the Biosynthesis of Natural Products and Their Inherent Suitability for the Rational Design of Desirable Compounds through Genetic Engineering
2007 Takahiro ISHIKAWA Recent Advances in Ascorbate Biosynthesis and the Physiological Significance of Ascorbate Peroxidase in Photosynthesizing Organisms
Shigeyuki KAWAI Structure and Function of NAD Kinase and NADP Phosphatase: Key Enzymes That Regulate the Intracellular Balance of NAD(H) and NADP(H)
Shou TAKASHIMA Characterization of Mouse Sialyltransferase Genes: Their Evolution and Diversity
Katsunori TANAKA Multiple Functions of the S-Phase Checkpoint Mediator
Tomonobu TOYOMASU Recent Advances Regarding Diterpene Cyclase Genes in Higher Plants and Fungi
Koji NAGATA Studies of the Structure-Activity Relationships of Peptides and Proteins Involved in Growth and Development Based on Their Three-Dimensional Structures
Yoshimasa NAKAMURA Electrophiles in Foods: The Current Status of Isothiocyanates and Their Chemical Biology
Hiroya YURIMOTO Molecular Basis of Methanol-Inducible Gene Expression and Its Application in the Methylotrophic Yeast Candida boidinii
2006 Kohki AKIYAMA Chemical Identification and Functional Analysis of Apocarotenoids Involved in the Development of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis
Fumiyoshi ABE Exploration of the Effects of High Hydrostatic Pressure on Microbial Growth, Physiology and Survival: Perspectives from Piezophysiology
Masatoshi GOTO Protein O-Glycosylation in Fungi: Diverse Structures and Multiple Functions
Hiroshi SHIBA RNA Silencing Systems and Their Relevance to Allele-Specific DNA Methylation in Plants
Yoshimasa TAKAHASHI Memory B Cells in Systemic and Mucosal Immune Response: Implications for Successful Vaccination
Ken-ichi TAKEYAMA The Vitamin D3 1alpha-Hydroxylase Gene and Its Regulation by Active Vitamin D3
Soichi TANABE Analysis of Food Allergen Structures and Development of Foods for Allergic Patients
Hideaki NOJIRI Structural and Molecular Genetic Analyses of the Bacterial Carbazole Degradation System
Hidefumi MAKABE Synthesis of Annonaceous Acetogenins from Muricatacin
Masaki MIZUNUMA Physiological Roles of Calcineurin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with Special Emphasis on Its Roles in G2/M Cell-Cycle Regulation
2005 Kenji UEDA Lessons from Studies of Symbiobacterium thermophilum, a Unique Syntrophic Bacterium
Takeo USUI Actin- and Microtubule-Targeting Bioprobes: Their Binding Sites and Inhibitory Mechanisms
Takashi KITAYAMA Attractive Reactivity of a Natural Product, Zerumbone
Makoto KIMURA Molecular and Genetic Studies of Fusarium Trichothecene Biosynthesis: Pathways, Genes, and Evolution
Naoki TAKAYA Response to Hypoxia, Reduction of Electron Acceptors, and Subsequent Survival by Filamentous Fungi
Chiharu NISHIYAMA Molecular Mechanism of Allergy-Related Gene Regulation and Hematopoietic Cell Development by Transcription Factors
Eiji MASAI Genetic and Biochemical Investigations on Bacterial Catabolic Pathways for Lignin-Derived Aromatic Compounds
Takeomi MURATA Enzymatic Synthesis of Oligosaccharides and Neoglycoconjugates
Noriyuki YANAKA Mammalian Glycerophosphodiester Phosphodiesterases
2004 Munehiko ASAYAMA Regulatory System for Light-Responsive Gene Expression in Photosynthesizing Bacteria: Cis-Elements and Trans-Acting Factors in Transcription and Post-Transcription
Jun OGAWA Screening and Industrial Application of Unique Microbial Reactions Involved in Nucleic Acid and Lipid Metabolisms
Yoshinori KATAKURA Molecular Basis for the Cellular Senescence Program and Its Application to Anticancer Therapy
Hiroshi KAWAIDE Biochemical and Molecular Analyses of Gibberellin Biosynthesis in Fungi
Tatsuo KURIHARA A Mechanistic Analysis of Enzymatic Degradation of Organohalogen Compounds
Akio KURODA A Polyphosphate-Lon Protease Complex in the Adaptation of Escherichia coli to Amino Acid Starvation
Hirosato TAKIKAWA Synthetic Studies on Breviones and Structurally Related Natural Products
Eri FUKUSHI Advanced NMR Approaches for a Detailed Structure Analysis of Natural Products
Yukiko YOSHIDA F-Box Proteins That Contain Sugar-Binding Domains
2003 Yasuo OHNISHI AdpA, a Central Transcriptional Regulator in the A-Factor Regulatory Cascade That Leads to Morphological Development and Secondary Metabolism in Streptomyces griseus
Masashi KATO An Overview of the CCAAT-Box Binding Factor in Filamentous Fungi: Assembly, Nuclear Translocation, and Transcriptional Enhancement
Hiromasa KIYOTA Synthesis of Naturally Derived Bioactive Compounds of Agricultural Interest
Kazuo SHIN-YA Novel Antitumor and Neuroprotective Substances Discovered by Characteristic Screenings Based on Specific Molecular Targets
Yasuyuki HASHIDOKO Ecochemical Studies of Interrelationships between Epiphytic Bacteria and Host Plants via Secondary Metabolites
Wataru HASHIMOTO Structure and Function of Bacterial Super-Biosystem Responsible for Import and Depolymerization of Macromolecules
Kazuhiko MATSUDA Neonicotinoids Show Selective and Diverse Actions on Their Nicotinic Receptor Targets: Electrophysiology, Molecular Biology, and Receptor Modeling Studies