Professor Shuichi Yamamoto of the Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation (Engineering) (Director of YUBEC*) has been awarded the SCEJ Award for Outstanding Research Achievement (Kamesaburo Ikeda Memorial Award). He received the award at the SCEJ 82nd Annual Meeting and gave the award lecture titled "Studies on Biochromatography Separation Engineering" on Monday, March 6, at Toyosu Campus, Shibaura Institute of Technology.

The award is granted to individuals who have conducted outstanding research pertaining to chemical engineering and have built up a track record of comprehensively distinguished achievements in the academic field. Professor Yamamoto has developed original models that took into account both the transport phenomena and the recognition of biological molecules in chromatography of biological molecules (biochromatography). He was quick to notice the importance of the chromatographic separation and purification process for proteins such as antibodies, and the importance of its mechanistic models. The "Yamamoto model," which makes it possible to infer the separation mechanism, can be applied not only to the rational determination of operation variables but also to the analysis of molecular recognition. The usefulness of the model is being demonstrated in protein drug purification processes in biotech industry throughout the world. Professor Yamamoto's model is now being used both in Japan and overseas in areas ranging from rapid process development to process analysis, and also to the development of novel separation methods. This award represents the high regard from both the academic and industrial worlds that has been accorded to Professor Yamamoto's achievements, through which he has played a leading role internationally in the field of bioseparation engineering.

* YUBEC: Yamaguchi University Biomedical Engineering Center