Fujio Egami (1910-1982)
Biochemist.
One of the leading figures in post-war Japanese biochemistry. Served as the President of the Japan Academy and the President of the International Society for the Study of Life’s Origin, among other roles.
Background
- 1933
- Graduated from the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo
- 1934-1937
- Studied abroad at the University of Strasbourg and the University of Paris as a French government scholarship student
- 1941-1943
- Assistant at the Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo
- 1943-1944
- Associate Professor at the Third Department of the Faculty of Science, Nagoya Imperial University (Organic Chemistry)
- 1944-1958
- Professor at the Faculty of Science, Nagoya Imperial University
- 1958-1968
- Professor at the Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo
- 1968-1971
- Concurrently Professor at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Saitama University
- 1969-1971
- President of the Japan Academy
- 1971-1980
- First Director of the Mitsubishi Chemical Institute of Life Sciences
- 1977-
- President of the International Society for the Study of Life’s Origin
- 1980-
- Honorary Director of the same
- 1982
- Passed away (71 years old)
Awards and Honors
- 1953
- Chunichi Cultural Award for “Scientific Research on Enzymes Involved in Biological Oxidation-Reduction”
- 1954
- Chemical Society of Japan Award for “Chemical Research on Bacterial Toxins and Enzymes”
- 1966
- Asahi Cultural Award for “Research on Ribonuclease T1”
- 1967
- Mainichi Publishing Culture Award for “Exploring Life” (Iwanami Shoten)
- 1971
- Legion of Honour (France) and Japan Academy Prize for “Research on Ribonucleases”
Principal Research Topics and Achievements
・Research on bacterial nitrate reduction systems.
・Isolation and purification of ribonuclease T1 from Takadiastase.
・Study of the origin of life.
References