3 December 2021
With a keen focus on skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis, an excellent list of publications, and an original approach across a range of topics in investigative dermatology, there is no doubt that Dr. Satoshi Nakamizo from Japan is a worthy winner of the LEO Foundation Award 2021 in Region Asia-Pacific.
Every year, the LEO Foundation recognizes promising young talents within skin research in each of the three regions: the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific. The LEO Foundation Award is a part of the Foundation’s commitment to improving the lives for people living with skin diseases by supporting skin research of the highest quality.
“We believe that it is important to recognize and support young research talents at an early stage in their careers. With our award, we aim to sustain their zeal and productivity and help strengthen the much-needed pipeline of excellent dermatology researchers,” says Ida Brams, Chief Grant Officer at the LEO Foundation.
Dr. Satoshi Nakamizo is this year’s winner of the LEO Foundation Award – worth USD 100,000 – in Region Asia-Pacific. Satoshi Nakamizo is currently Assistant Professor at the Department of Dermatology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, and he is an excellent awardee in many aspects.
He is an accomplished skin immunologist and clinician scientist with a strong list of publications and an original approach across a range of topics in investigative dermatology. Because of his originality, ingenuity, and desire to help patients, he has already contributed with successful research, and furthermore Satoshi Nakamizo has a strong personality and manages relationships favorably in the laboratory and with collaborators.
The roles of antigen-presenting cells in eczema and psoriasis
Among his accomplishments, Dr. Satoshi Nakamizo has revealed a novel mechanism in skin immunity, especially within the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.
His overall research vision is to classify and characterize the so-called antigen-presenting cells (APCs) – a cell type that contributes to chronic inflammatory skin diseases – such as eczema and psoriasis – using state-of-the-art analyses like single-cell RNA sequencing.
“The roles of antigen-presenting cells in the development of inflammatory skin diseases remain unclear. My vision is to study these APCs in detail to reveal their functions, which will be very informative and valuable in understanding the development of skin diseases like psoriasis and eczema. Hopefully, my studies may help in the design of new treatments for these kinds of skin diseases,” Dr. Satoshi Nakamizo explains.
Dr. Satoshi Nakamizo:
Assistant Professor, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
2020 – present
Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
2018 – 2019
Senior Research Fellow, Skin Research Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore
2016 – 2017
Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Medical Biology, A*STAR, Singapore
2015
Clinical Fellow, Department of Dermatology, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
2015
PhD in Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
2007
MD in Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan
An award for the rising stars
Ida Brams is excited about honoring Dr. Satoshi Nakamizo with the award:
“At the Foundation we are happy and excited to honor a rising star like Satoshi Nakamizo, who has the potential to become a leading physician scientist. And we are proud to welcome him into the strong group of former awardees – the LEO Foundation Alumni – that includes some of today’s most prominent researchers in dermatology,“ says Ida Brams.
Dr. Satoshi Nakamizo hopes that the award will provide focus and awareness of a research area with significant unmet needs.
“It is a great honor to receive the prestigious LEO Foundation Award. It will allow me to pursue research that fascinates me and give me the opportunity to raise awareness of this important research field, and hopefully inspire more researchers,” says Dr. Satoshi Nakamizo.
An individual prize for young skin research talents
The LEO Foundation Award is worth USD 100,000 and is given three times annually, one in each of the three regions: the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific.
The award was born out of the aim of advancing the understanding and treatment of skin diseases and strengthening the pipeline of excellent dermatology researchers. The award recognizes promising young skin researchers and hopefully provides a boost to their careers.
The award is an individual prize granted in open competition with all award applications being evaluated by an international 9-member Global Review Panel. The panel members are appointed annually by their respective dermatology societies in regions the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific.
The LEO Foundation Award winner is announced during the 46th Annual Meeting of the JSID (3-5 December 2021).