Commemorative Symposium for the 33rd International Prize for Biology

Dr. Rita Rossi Colwell sitting in the front row in the center

Commemorative Symposium for the 33rd International Prize for Biology was held at the Tsukuba International Congress Center on December 5 and 6. It was co-organized by the University of Tsukuba and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

The International Prize for Biology has earned high esteem around the world as a prestigious award. It was established in honor of the 60th year of Emperor Showa's reign and his longtime devotion to biological research, and it also honors the contributions of the present Emperor His Majesty Emperor Akihito in striving over many years to advance the taxonomy of gobioid fishes.

The 33rd International Prize for Biology has been awarded to Dr. Rita Rossi Colwell, Distinguished University Professor, University of Maryland, College Park, USA.
This year, the field chosen for the prize was "Marine Biology."
Dr. Colwell introduced new approaches for identifying and classifying marine bacteria, and established the taxonomy of vibrios, which include Vibrio cholerae. Based on ecological studies of marine bacteria, she proposed that as a key survival strategy, vibrio cells can enter a state in which they remain viable but cannot be cultured. This concept has had a profound influence on microbiology and medicine. Noting that vibrios are expanding their habitat range due to global warming, she showed the connection of this to the wider occurrence of cholera.

With Professor Kazuo Inaba of the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences (Director of the Shimoda Marine Research Center) taking charge of the symposium, Dr. Colwell gave a commemorative lecture of receiving the International Prize for Biology.
She gave a talk in her field of specialization, including marine biology, marine ecology, and marine environmental change. In addition, world-famous researchers gave lectures for both specialists and non-specialists. The symposium was a great success with about 200 people, including researchers, students, and general public in attendance.

President Kyosuke Nagata giving an opening speech

Dr. Colwell giving a commemorative lecture