Takashi Sugimura

{{Infobox scientist

|name = Takashi Sugimura

|image = Takashi Sugimura cropped 1 Takashi Sugimura 201310.jpg

|image_upright =

|caption =

|birth_date = April 20, 1926

|birth_place = Tokyo, Japan

|death_date = September 6, 2020 (aged 94)

|field = Biochemistry
Cancer Research

|work_institutions = National Cancer Center
University of Tokyo
Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research

|alma_mater = University of Tokyo

|known_for = Carcinogenesis

|prizes = Charles S. Mott Prize (1981)
Japan Prize (1997)

}}

{{Nihongo|Takashi Sugimura|杉村隆|Sugimura Takashi|April 20, 1926 – September 6, 2020}} was a Japanese biochemist, famous for research on chemical carcinogens. He received the Japan Prize for the contribution to establishment of fundamental concept on causes of cancer.[https://www.japanprize.jp/en/prize_prof_1997_sugi.html Dr. Takashi Sugimura 1997 (13th) Japan Prize Laureate] He was elected as President of the Japan Academy on October 15, 2013,[https://www.japan-acad.go.jp/japanese/news/2013/101501.html 日本学士院長の選定について Selection of President of the Japan Academy]{{in lang|ja}} serving till 2016 and was followed by Hiroshi Shiono.{{cite web|title=New President elected|url=https://www.japan-acad.go.jp/en/news/2016/101201.html|publisher=Japan Academy|accessdate=May 18, 2017}}

Contribution

Sugimura isolated and identified many mutagens with a structure of heterocyclic amine from foods cooked under ordinary conditions. He showed that tumors induced by these heterocyclic amines had genetic alterations. He further developed his studies to analyze multiple-step carcinogenesis at molecular levels to promote effective primary prevention of cancer.[http://www.aacr.org/home/scientists/aacr-academy/inaugural-class/takashi-sugimura.aspx Fellows of the AACR Academy] His group identified the novel polymer poly(ADP-ribose) and demonstrated the presence of the enzyme poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP). He also discovered the cognate catabolic enzyme, poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) and further elucidated the biology of poly(ADP-ribose). The discovery of pierisin, an apoptogenic peptide that ADP-ribosylates DNA, profoundly illuminates his scientific character and curiosity as well.{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1093/jb/mvs005| title = The pioneering spirit of Takashi Sugimura: His studies of the biochemistry of poly(ADP-ribosylation) and of cancer| journal = Journal of Biochemistry| volume = 151| issue = 3| pages = 221–228| year = 2012| last1 = Masutani | first1 = M.| pmid=22375027}}

Biography

Sugimura completed his M.D. in 1949 from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, and received the degree of Doctor of Medical Science in 1957 from the same institution. After his postdoctoral fellowship at the Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, he became Chief of Biochemistry Division at the Research Institute, National Cancer Center in Tokyo in 1962, where he served as President from 1984 to 1991.[http://www.brh.co.jp/s_library/j_site/scientistweb/no33/ "チョウとがんと未知なるものと私" Biography of Takashi Sugimura]{{in lang|ja}} In addition, he was Professor of Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo from 1970 to 1985 and President of Toho University from 1994 to 2000. He was Fellow of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Academy, Honorary Member of Japanese Cancer Association[http://www.jca.gr.jp/jca/honorary.html 日本癌学会|名誉会員 Honorary Members of the Japanese Cancer Association]{{in lang|ja}} and also President Emeritus of National Cancer Center.

Recognition

Sugimura received numerous awards and honors which include the following:

=Awards=

1976 Imperial Prize of the Japan Academy
1977 Fogarty Scholar in Residence, National Institutes of Health, USA
1978 Outstanding Work Award, Environmental Mutagen Society of the United States
1981 Order of Culture
1981 Charles S. Mott Prize
1992 Tomizo Yoshida Award of the Japanese Cancer Association
1996 National Order of Merit (France) (Officer)
1997 Japan Prize

=Honors=

1982 Foreign Associate, the National Academy of Sciences, USA
1982 Member, the Japan Academy.[http://www.japan-acad.go.jp/en/members/7/sugimura_takashi.html Personal Information | The Japan Academy]
1987 Foreign Member, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (Division for Sciences){{cite web|url=https://www.knaw.nl/en/members/foreign-members/4843 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028181201/https://www.knaw.nl/en/members/foreign-members/4843 |title=T. Sugimura |publisher=Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences |date= |archive-date=October 28, 2020}}
1987 Foreign Member, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (Class for Medical Sciences)
1994 Foreign Associate, the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, USA