Marine Core Research Institute（MaCRI） Masao Adachi Faculty Sciences Marine Core Research Institute（MaCRI） Specially Appointed Lecturer Kyoko Hagino of Marine Core Research Institute（MaCRI） have been awarded the 2025 Newcomb-Cleveland Award by the American Association for the Advancement of Science
Release Date:
自然科学系農学部門の足立真佐雄教授と海洋コア国際研究所の萩野恭子特任講師が、2025年の米国科学振興協会ニューカム・クリーブランド賞（AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize）を受賞しました。授賞式は、米国ボストンで開催された米国科学振興協会の年次総会において、２月14日（日本時間15日）に行われました。
The Newcomb-Cleveland Award is the oldest award of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, established in 1923 [1]. It is presented to all authors of research papers published in the Association’s scientific journal *Science* between June of one year and May of the following year that present data or theories making a significant contribution to the advancement of basic science, or technical achievements with broad impact.
Professor Adachi and Specially Appointed Lecturer Hagino, in collaboration with Professor Jonathan Zehr of the University of California, Santa Cruz, and others, received the award as co-authors of the paper “Nitrogen-fixing organelle in a marine alga”(published in the April 12, 2024 issue) [2,3].
This research is considered to be of paramount importance to the evolution of complex life; it provides insights into the evolution of organelles—a process believed to have occurred only a few times in the history of biology—and is recognized as a discovery that fundamentally broadens our understanding of cell biology, which led to the award.
・Professor Adachi
The discovery of nitroplastids in marine microalgae reported in this paper represents the identification of a new organelle following chloroplasts and mitochondria,and the elucidation of the role of these microalgae in the global marine nitrogen cycle. Furthermore, it holds the potential to lead to applied research related to the agricultural revolution, such as the creation of nitrogen-fixing plants through the elucidation of nitrogen fixation mechanisms in eukaryotes. It is deeply moving to reflect on how the knowledge and experience gained through many years of research on marine microalgae contributed to this discovery and ultimately led to this award.
・Hagino, Specially Appointed Lecturer
30年前の高知大学理学部地学科での卒業論文研究をきっかけに始めたB. bigelowiiの研究が、これまでの多くの研究者との出会いや科学技術の進歩、そして共同研究によって大きく進展し、最終的にはオルガネラ化という生物進化や海洋における窒素循環の研究などの、基礎科学の進展につながったことを嬉しく思います。これまで研究に協力してくださった全ての皆様や研究機関に心より感謝いたします。今後もB. bigelowiiの研究を進めることにより、生物進化と海洋生態系研究の理解に貢献していきたいと思います。
[1] American Association for the Advancement of Science Newcomb-Cleveland Award (English)
[2] American Association for the Advancement of Science: Explanation of the Award (English)
[3] Elucidating the progression of organelle formation (internalization as intracellular organelles) in nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria within marine microalgae
htps://www.kochi-u.ac.jp/information/2024040100016/
Special Lecturer Hagino and Professor Adachi holding the certificate and the issue of *Science* in which their paper was published
The award recipients who attended the ceremony held on February 14 (February 15 Japan Time). The second person from the left is Specially Appointed Lecturer Hagino.
[Contact Information for Inquiries Regarding This Matter]
Kochi University Public Relations and Alumni Affairs Office, Public Relations Section
TEL: 088-844-8643
E-mail: kh13@kochi-u.ac.jp