Life Sciences (Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Neurobiology)

Yasutomi Nishizuka

Japan / July 12, 1932-2004
Biochemist; Professor, Kobe University

A biochemist who has given a tremendous impetus to the development of life sciences. He has contributed greatly to the construction of the fundamental concepts of intracellular signal transduction cascade through his discovery of "protein kinase C," also known as "C kinase," and his analysis of its function, which revealed a new intracellular signal transduction system and elucidated the regulatory mechanisms involved in many biological phenomena, including cancer cell growth.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

1932	Born in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
1957	M.D., Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University
1962	Ph.D., Graduate School, Kyoto University
1962-1964	Research Associate, Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University
1964-1968	Associate Professor, Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University
1969-present	Professor and Chairman, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kobe University

AWARDS AND HONORS

1986	The Award of the Japan Academy (The Japan Academy)
1988	The Alfred P. Sloan, Jr. Prize (U.S.A.)
1988	The Order of Culture (Government of Japan)
1989	The Lasker Award (U.S.A.)
1990	Foreign Member of the Royal Society (U.K.)

MAJOR WORKS

1977	Studies on a protein kinase and its proenzyme in mammalian tissuse. I. Purification and Characterization of an active enzyme from bovine cerebellum. J. Biol. Chem. 252. (with Takai. Y. et al.)
1982	Direct activation of calcium-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase by tumor-promoting phorbol esters. J. Biol. Chem. 257. (with Castagna, M. et al.)
1984	The role of protein kinase C in cell surface signal transduction and tumor promotion. Nature. 308
1984	Turnover of inositol phospholipids and signal transduction. Science. 225
1986	Studies and perspectives of protein kinase C. Science. 233
1988	The molecular heterogeneity of protein kinase C and its implications for cellular regulation. Nature. 334

[Back to Top]