Lister Prize to aid biomedical research

Dr Tomoyuki (Tomo) Tanaka, a Principal Investigator in the School of Life Sciences, was one of only three recipients to be awarded a prestigious Lister Research Prize in 2005.

Dr Tanaka was awarded the Prize after he presented the Lister Research Prize Lecture to an audience of invited guests and colleagues, including Dame Bridget Ogilvie, Chairman of the Lister Institute, and Dr Trevor Hince, the Institute's Director.

The Lister Research Prize is awarded by the Lister Institute to help young scientists pursue their personal research interests in biomedical sciences. Worth £150,000, the Prize can be used to enhance the recipient's research in any way they wish.

In his research, Dr Tanaka investigates how cells regulate themselves during proliferation. He and his team recently discovered how cells get all their chromosomes inherited during cell division to prevent cancers and other diseases.

Dr Tanaka joined the School of Life Sciences to start his own research group four years ago. Prior to this he worked for five years at the Institute of Molecular Pathology in Vienna.