Self-Evaluation

As stated in the "Research Projects" on our web site, our laboratory is engaged in examining the major factors which govern drug disposition in the body and clarifying the mechanisms of membrane transport in the liver, brain, kidneys, intestines and tumors. We begin our analysis from the body (in vivo) and progress to the organ, cell, protein and gene in order to understand the principles involved in the functions of the human body, and also develop methodologies to quantitatively reconstruct in vivo phenomena from in vitro data.

Our research is highly valued both domestically and overseas. We are very often invited to speak at various conferences and symposia, and contribute articles to international publications. Invitations to lecture in Japan include core academic conferences related to our research area, such as the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, the Japanese Society for the Study of Xenobiotics, the Academy of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Japan, as well as from other related fields such as the Japanese Pharmacological Society, the Japanese Biochemical Society, the Japanese Cancer Association, the Japan Society of Hepatology, and the Japanese Society of Nephrology. Regarding international conferences, Prof. Sugiyama was invited overseas 14 times in 2003 alone. Until 1997 more than two thirds of these lectures were devoted to the "Prediction of drug disposition" or "Drug delivery systems (DDS)." In the past several years, however, opportunities have been increasing to speak about the basic science of transporters (studying biological significance based on cellular biological and molecular biological methods), and about how transporter research plays a key role in developing novel drugs. We regard this increasing interest as an indication that we are coming close to our goal of "integration/fusion of basic and applied research."

Our research achievements are also reflected in a large variety of publications such as "Pharmaceutical Research," a pharmaceutical journal and also the official journal of AAPS (the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists),"Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics," "Molecular Pharmacology" pharmacological journals, "Journal of Biological Chemistry," a biochemical journal, and "American Journal of Physiology," a physiological journal. We believe this shows that we are moving towards our goal of conducting our research from many different angles. Many researchers in various areas cite our reports. To give an example, one report by K. Ito in Am. J. Physiol. in 1997 which verifies for the first time that the EHBR has a hereditary deficiency involving the biliary secretion of drugs which results from a protein deficiency caused by a nonsense variation of cMOAT (canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter) gene. To date, this paper has been cited 186 times. Also, the web site of Am. J. Physiol. carries this report as a much-cited article in authoritative physiological journals. In addition, Prof. Sugiyama has allowed his name to be added to the list of " highly cited scientists" who are frequently quoted in the top 0.5% of all reports in the world (from the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI)). Also, Prof. Sugiyama is a member of the editorial boards of many international journals.

Staff members have received several awards. Prof. Sugiyama received the "Troy Daniels Lecturership" from the University of California, San Francisco in 2000, and the "Scientific Achievement Award" from the Japanese Society for the Study of Xenobiotics in 2001. He has also been selected as the 2003 recipient of the AAPS Distinguished Pharmaceutical Scientist Award. This award is the highest honor conferred by the AAPS. There have only been seven scientists selected in the past, and Prof. Sugiyama is the first non-American scientist to win the award. He has also received the highest scientific achievement award from the "Pharmaceutical Society of Japan" in 2004. Dr. Suzuki received the "Scientific Prize for Young Scientists" from the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan in 1998, and the "Scientific Prize for Young Scientists" from the Japanese Society for the Study of Xenobiotics in 1999. Dr. Kusuhara received "The APSTJ Global Education Seminar Presentation Award 2003" in 2003, and "the Hugh Davson Memorial Lectureship Award."

Prof. Sugiyama has also been engaged in the organization of many academic conferences. He serves as a Councilor of the International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics (ISSX), and has been a Chair of the Division of Vision for Pharmaceutical Research since 2002. He was a Program Chairman in the Asian section of the Millennial World Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences (with around 2000 attendees) hosted by FIP-BPS (the International Pharmaceutical Federation ? the Board of Pharmaceutical Sciences) in San Francisco. He will serve as Chairman at the 2nd Pharmaceutical Sciences World Congress (PSWC) hosted by FIP-BPS in Kyoto in 2004. He has been a Chairman of FIP BPS from 2001 to 2004, and was elected President of ISSX in 2003.

Prof. Sugiyama also plays a major roll as a representative in several government projects. These projects include:

We believe we are shaping the course of research in our field, and have already accomplished much. We know, however, we must remain sharply focused and work hard in order to continue to be leaders in this field.