Professor Satoshi Ōmura

Professor Satoshi Ōmura is a world leader in bioorganic chemistry -- particularly in the discovery of useful chemicals derived from naturally-occurring microorganisms.

During his 40-year career, Professor Ōmura has devised many new methods for isolating, culturing and screening microorganisms, discovering more than 350 novel bioactive compounds in the process. Among these is ivermectin, discovered and developed through a collaborative research program with Merck & Co. Inc. (USA), which has proved to be one of the world's most important animal and human medicines ever produced, and one of the foremost public health interventions ever in the developing world.

Professor Ōmura is currently President of the Kitasato Institute in Tokyo, Japan. He is also Max Tishler Professor of Chemistry at Wesleyan University (USA) and Professor of Chemistry at Kitasato University (Japan).