BDR team leader awarded the Osaka Science Prize

On September 28, Yuichi Taniguchi, team leader of RIKEN BDR’s Laboratory for Cell Systems Control, was announced as one of the two winners of the 39th Osaka Science Prize. The Osaka Science Prize is awarded jointly by Osaka Prefecture, Osaka City, and the Osaka Science & Technology Center to researchers under the age of 50 who are based in the Kinki region and have made contributions to the research and development of science and technology.

Taniguchi was recognized for his research investigating how the genome is regulated at the molecular level. He has developed innovative technologies for quantifying the amount, localization, and structures of various types of intracellular molecules at the molecular level. One of his major achievements is successfully capturing the three-dimensional organizational structure of the genome at nucleosome-scale resolutions by adopting a unique approach that combines next-generation DNA sequencing and analyses using a supercomputer.

He has also developed a single molecule fluorescence microscopy system that enables imaging at the single-molecule resolution at depths of several hundred micrometers from the glass coverslip and has successfully demonstrated its use in clarifying the fundamental properties of gene expression dynamics in cells. Uses of this single molecule fluorescence microscopy system are expected to contribute to advancements in diverse areas of life science research such as facilitating observations of individual intracellular biomolecules, observations of cell differentiation processes, and super-resolution imaging exceeding the light diffraction limit.

On receiving the Osaka Science Prize, Taniguchi commented, “I am elated and at the same time feel a sense of solemnity to be receiving this prestigious award, many of the past recipients of which are researchers whom I deeply respect. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has been involved in my research and I will continue to strive to develop and advance my research to a stage that will directly benefit society, such as helping in their daily lives and overcoming diseases.”

The award ceremony will be held on November 27, 2021, at the Osaka Science & Technology Center.