DATE2026.05.08 #Awards & Prizes

Professor Tetsuya Higashiyama has been awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon in the spring of 2026

Professor Tetsuya Higashiyama

Professor Tetsuya Higashiyama of the Department of Biological Sciences has been awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon in recognition of his long-standing contributions to research, education, and the advancement of plant science. We extend our heartfelt congratulations.

Professor Higashiyama has long been a global leader in the field of plant reproductive biology, driving research in this area and achieving outstanding results in botany, including the visualization of the entire fertilization process and the identification of key molecular factors involved in fertilization.

A defining feature of sexual reproduction in angiosperms is double fertilization. The starting point of Professor Higashiyama’s research was the development of an in vitro double fertilization system, based on the advantages of the plant model Torenia, which allows the entire process—from pollen tube growth to double fertilization—to be observed in a living state. By combining this system with laser manipulation techniques and cellular and molecular biological analyses, he identified peptide molecules named LURE as pollen tube attractants. Furthermore, using these LURE peptides as a starting point, he identified key signaling factors that regulate pollen tube reception. In addition, he established a live-imaging platform using Arabidopsis thaliana, leading to the discovery and visualization of numerous previously unknown reproductive processes, and contributing to the establishment of a new research field: plant reproductive live imaging. He has also advanced studies on the origins of plant species, demonstrating that species-specificity in pollen tube guidance determines interspecies barriers, and that overcoming these barriers may lead to the emergence of new species.

In recognition of these outstanding achievements, he has received numerous awards, including the Special Award (Technology) of the Botanical Society of Japan, the Hirase Award of the Japanese Society of Plant Morphology, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Prize, the Gold Medal Award, the Kihara Memorial Foundation Academic Award, the Inoue Prize for Science, the Chunichi Culture Award, the Botanical Society of Japan Award, the Asahi Prize, the Japanese Society of Plant Morphology Award, and the Midori Academic Prize.

In recent years, he has also been engaged in research on the diversity and evolution of plant reproduction, using materials such as Spiranthes (which does not undergo double fertilization) and cycads (which utilize motile sperm for fertilization). We once again offer our sincere congratulations on this distinguished honor and wish him continued success in his future endeavors.

Medal with Purple Ribbon in Spring 2026

（Written by: Professor Misato Ohtani, Department of Biological Sciences）