Professor Shizuo Akira, Director of IFReC was elected as the foreign associate of National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

NAS is a private organization of scientists and engineers dedicated to the furtherance of science and its use for the general welfare. NAS consists of about 2100 American members and 400 foreign members. More than 190 NAS members were awarded the Nobel Prize in the past.

NAS elected 72 new members and 18 foreign associates in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Election to the NAS means one is recognized as one of the best researchers among scientists. Dr. Harald zur Hausen, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2008, also is included in the members.

Dr. Akira and his research group have unlocked the importance of innate immunity by the functional analysis of Toll-like Receptors (TLRs), existing in innate immune cells (macrophages, dendritic cells). It is well known that research articles of Dr. Akira in scientific journals have been highly cited among the leading scientific publications because of his drastic and important discoveries.

There are 4 Japanese NAS associates who won Nobel Prize in the past, Youichiro Nambu (1973), Reona Ezaki (1976), Ryoji Noyori (2003) and Masatoshi Koshiba (2005). In the field of immunology, this year's election follows to the list of Kimishige Ishizaka (1983), Tadamitsu Kishimoto (1991), Tasuku Honjo (2001) and Tadatsugu Taniguchi (2003). Dr. Akira is one of the pupils who learnt under Dr. Tadamitsu Kishimoto(Former President of Osaka University).