Tokyo International News Agency

It has been reported that Dr. James Watson, renowned for elucidating the double helix structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), which carries the genetic information of living organisms, has passed away at the age of 97. Dr. Watson's achievement, recognized as one of the 20th century's greatest scientific discoveries, had a profound impact worldwide. In 1953, at the University of Cambridge in the UK, Dr. Watson, along with Dr. Francis Crick, announced that DNA possesses a unique structure where two strands intertwine in a helix. This groundbreaking discovery earned both scientists the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962. The elucidation of DNA's structure opened the door to deciphering the blueprint of life, bringing about revolutionary changes in broad fields such as molecular biology, genetics, and medicine, and laying the foundation for modern life sciences. However, behind his brilliant accomplishments, various controversies also existed. On social media, it...

It has been announced that Dr. Shimon Sakaguchi, Specially Appointed Professor at Osaka University, will be awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Professor Sakaguchi's long years of research led to the discovery of "regulatory T cells" (Tregs), a groundbreaking finding vital for understanding the fundamental principles of the immune system. This discovery is highly acclaimed for opening new avenues in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and allergic conditions. Regulatory T cells are immune cells that act as a "brake" to suppress excessive immune responses in the body. Their function prevents immune cells from mistakenly attacking the body's own tissues, as seen in autoimmune diseases (e.g., Type 1 diabetes), and controls uncontrolled allergic reactions like hay fever and atopic dermatitis. Professor Sakaguchi began researching this immune suppressive mechanism in 1979 and clearly identified the existence of regulatory T cells in 1995. The...