Central OC Times

Kei Igarashi, an associate professor at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, has been honored with the 2024 Inoue Prize for Science. This prestigious award is given to researchers under 50 who have made significant contributions to basic natural science research. Igarashi's work focuses on understanding brain mechanisms related to object memory and their decline in dementia.

Expressing his gratitude, Igarashi stated, “I am very honored to receive this esteemed award on behalf of myself and my lab members.” He acknowledged UC Irvine alumnus Dr. Heechul Jun for his dedication, noting Jun's continued experiments even after completing his Ph.D., as he pursued a psychiatry residency at New York University.

In 2024, Igarashi made a breakthrough by identifying neurons responsible for "item memory," which provided new insights into how the brain processes past experiences. This discovery offers potential advancements in treating Alzheimer's disease.

The Inoue Foundation for Science announced the five recipients on December 17, 2024. Toshiko Abe, Japan’s minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology presented the awards in Tokyo on February 5. The recognition includes a gold medal and a monetary prize of two million yen.

This accolade follows Igarashi’s receipt of the Japan Academy Medal in 2023 for his pioneering research on neural circuits involved in associative memory and their susceptibility to Alzheimer’s disease. Discussing his work further, Igarashi said: “In my lab, we delve into the intricate neural circuitry and the process by which we link related experiences together – and how Alzheimer’s disease disrupts these connections."

Other recipients of the Inoue Prize include Shigeyoshi Inoue from Technical University of Munich; Takahiro Sagawa from University of Tokyo; Mizuki Tada from Nagoya University; and Eriko Nango from Tohoku University.

Established in 1984, the Inoue Foundation for Science aims to support scientific research through grants and awards across various fields. It is recognized for advancing science and technology in Japan through initiatives like the Inoue Prize for Science.

UC Irvine continues its efforts through campaigns such as Brilliant Future launched in October 2019 aiming to raise $2 billion with alumni engagement towards enhancing student success and research among other goals. The university is part of top public universities according to U.S. News & World Report contributing significantly both locally and statewide economically.

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