Yoshihiro Kawaoka Explained

Birth Date:	14 November 1955
Birth Place:	Kobe, Japan
Occupation:	Virologist, professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Tokyo
Alma Mater:	Hokkaido University
Awards:	Robert Koch Prize (2006) Carlos J. Finlay Prize for Microbiology (2015) Japan Academy Prize (2016) Keio Medical Science Prize (2022)
Known:	Studies of influenza and Ebola viruses

is a virologist specializing in the study of the influenza and Ebola viruses. He holds a professorship in virology in the Department of Pathobiological Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, and at the University of Tokyo, Japan.

Following the West African Ebola virus epidemic of 2014, Kawaoka began development of an Ebola vaccine working in close coordination with Alhaji N'jai a toxicologist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and his non-profit organization Project 1808, Inc.^[1]

Controversial experiment

Kawaoka reinvented a new virus based on H5N1, which he revealed to the public in 2011.^[2] For now, no known vaccine has been found. His research was halted by a moratorium issued from the US government in 2014. However, in 2019 he was allowed to resume the research.^{[3] [4]}

Dan Brown mentioned the experiment in his novel Inferno.^[5]

Recognition

• 2006 – Robert Koch Prize (with Peter Palese)^[6]
• 2011 – Medal with Purple Ribbon
• 2013 – Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences
• 2014 – Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award
• 2015 – Carlos J. Finlay Prize for Microbiology
• 2016 – Japan Academy Prize
• 2018 – Sir Michael Stoker Prize^[7]
• 2022 – Keio Medical Science Prize^[8]
• 2023 – Person of Cultural Merit^[9]

Selected publications

• Jasenosky . Luke D. Neumann. Gabriele. Lukashevich. Igor. Kawaoka . Y. Ebola virus vp40-induced particle formation and association with the lipid bilayer. J Virol. 75. 11. 5205–5214. 10.1128/JVI.75.11.5205-5214.2001. 11333902. 6965132858. 2001-06-01. 114926.
• Watanabe. Tokiko. Watanabe. Shinji. Ito. Hiroshi. Kida. Hiroshi. Kawaoka. Y. Influenza A virus can undergo multiple cycles of replication without m2 ion channel activity. J Virol. 75. 12. 5656–5662. 2018-03-26. 2001-06-15. 114278. 10.1128/jvi.75.12.5656-5662.2001. 11356973.
• Schultz-Cherry, S. Dybdahl-Sissoko, N. Neumann, G. Kawaoka, Y. Hinshaw VS. Influenza Virus NS1 Protein Induces Apoptosis in Cultured Cells. J Virol. 75. 17. 7875–7881. 0022-538X. 120974346. 2001-09-01. 10.1128/jvi.75.17.7875-7881.2001. 11483732. 115031. free.
• Hatta, M. Gao, P. Halfmann, P. Kawaoka, Y. Molecular basis for high virulence of Hong Kong H5N1 influenza A viruses. Science. 293. 298. 1840–1842. 0036-8075. 95118961. 2001-09-07. 10.1126/science.1062882. 11546875. 2001Sci...293.1840H. 37415902.
• Goto. Hideo. Wells. Krisna. Takada. Ayato. Kawaoka. Y.. Plasminogen-binding activity of neuraminidase determines the pathogenicity of influenza A virus. J Virol. 75. 19. 9297–9301. 0022-538X. 6965138857. 2001-10-01. 114497. 10.1128/jvi.75.19.9297-9301.2001. 11533192.
• Kobasa. Darwyn. Wells. Krisna. Kawaoka. Yoshihiro. Amino Acids Responsible for the Absolute Sialidase Activity of the Influenza A Virus Neuraminidase: Relationship to Growth in Duck Intestine. J Virol. 75. 23. 11773–11780. 4639538185. 2001-12-01. 10.1128/jvi.75.23.11773-11780.2001. 11689658. 114763.
• Book: Influenza Virus : Methods and Protocols. 865. Kawaoka. Y. Neumann. Gabriele. Springer. Methods in Molecular Biology, Methods and Protocols, 865. 2012. 10.1007/978-1-61779-621-0. 978-1-61779-620-3. 3687150.
• Ebora shukketsu netsu no seiatsu ni mukete : Wakuchin kaihatsu to shierareone de no kenkyu. Control of Ebola hemorrhagic fever : vaccine development and our Ebola project in Sierra Leone. ja. Watanabe. Tokiko. Kawaoka. Yoshihiro. Virus. 66. 1. 53–62. 0042-6857. 6807788600. June 2016. 10.2222/jsv.66.53. 28484179. 9781617796203. free.

External links

• Robert Koch Award lecture: New possibilities in the fight against influenza (3 November 2006)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Project 1808.
2. Web site: Scientists Brace for Media Storm Around Controversial Flu Studies. 2011-11-24.
3. Web site: UW-Madison scientist allowed to resume controversial flu research Local News madison.com. 6 March 2019.
4. Web site: EXCLUSIVE: Controversial experiments that could make bird flu more risky poised to resume. 2019-02-09.
5. Dan Burstein, Secrets of Inferno: In the Footsteps of Dante and Dan Brown. Story Plant, 2013.
6. http://www.robert-koch-stiftung.de/index.php?article_id=120&clang=1 Robert-Koch-Stiftung: Robert Koch Award
7. Web site: Sir Michael Stoker Prize & Lecture 2018.
8. Web site: 慶應医学賞受賞者一覧. 慶應義塾医学振興基金. 2022-09-21.
9. Web site: 塩野七生さんら7人文化勲章 功労者に北大路欣也さんら. October 21, 2023. Jiji Press. 21 October 2023.