On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, Program-Specific Assistant Professor Yohko Kitagawa (Megumu Saito Laboratory) was presented with the CiRA Encouragement Award in fiscal year 2024.

This award, financed by the iPS Cell Research Fund, recognizes CiRA scientists under 40 years old for remarkable research achievements in life sciences. This award was established in fiscal year 2018.

Leveraging ES cells and iPS cells, Kitagawa comprehensively analyzed the transcriptional and epigenetic landscape regulation in the differentiation process leading to hematopoietic progenitor cells and identified novel factors required for hematopoietic differentiation. The results of this research, which clarified the molecular control of hematopoietic differentiation, is highly praiseworthy for its potential to lead to improved stability and efficiency of hematopoietic differentiation using iPS cells, as well as to the analysis of disease pathology using iPS cell-derived hematopoietic cells as models.

• Delineating the dynamic transcriptional and epigenetic landscape regulating hematopoiesis

The iPS Cell Research Fund plays a vital role in supporting education and human resource development for early-career researchers at CiRA. This fund reflects the generous contributions of numerous donors, and we deeply appreciate their support.

Following the award ceremony, Kitagawa gave a short presentation on the research and concluded by sharing future aspirations while expressing gratitude for CiRA's research environment and support.

(From left) Director Jun Takahashi and Dr. Yohko Kitagawa
at the award ceremony