Photo: Bengt Nyman from Vaxholm, Sweden / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Yoshinori Ohsumi is a scientist I hold in deep respect. He took autophagy, the unglamorous process by which cells recycle their own components, and turned a neglected corner of biology into world-changing knowledge through patient work with humble yeast. His 2016 Nobel Prize is only part of the story; the Gairdner, Kyoto, and Breakthrough awards underline how foundational his work became. What I admire most is his stubborn refusal to chase trends, pursuing a question he found fascinating for decades. From a Fukuoka high school to the frontier of human understanding, his career is a quiet argument that substance, not spectacle, ultimately endures.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Yoshinori Ohsumi
- Name (Japanese)
- 大隅良典
- Reading
- 不明
- Born
- February 9, 1945 (age 81)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aquarius / Rooster
- Origin
- Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- biologist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Fukuoka Prefectural Fukuoka High School
- University
- University of Tokyo
Awards & achievements
- 2015 Canada Gairdner International Award
- 2015 International Prize for Biology
- 2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- 2015 Person of Cultural Merit
- 2015 Rosenstiel Award
- 2015 Keio Medical Science Prize
- 2017 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences
- 2012 Kyoto Prize in Basic Sciences
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Official sitehttp://www.ohsumilab.aro.iri.titech.ac.jp/english.html
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A7%E9%9A%85%E8%89%AF%E5%85%B8
Frequently asked questions
When was Yoshinori Ohsumi born?
Born February 9, 1945 (age 81).
Where is Yoshinori Ohsumi from?
Yoshinori Ohsumi is from Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.
What does Yoshinori Ohsumi do?
Yoshinori Ohsumi works as biologist.
Biologist — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.