University of Tokyo

HONG KONG, May 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Shaw Prize in Astronomy is awarded in equal shares to Continue Reading The Shaw Laureates 2026 (from left to right): Ken’ichi Nomoto and Stanford Woosley, The Shaw Prize in Astronomy; Anne Dejean, Hugues de Thé and Zhu Chen, The Shaw Prize in Life Science and Medicine; Emmanuel Candès and Camillo De Lellis, The Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences. Ken'ichi Nomoto Emeritus Professor and Visiting Senior Scientist of the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, University of Tokyo, Japan and Stanford Woosley Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA for their studies of stellar explosions and the origin of the elements. The Shaw Prize in Life Science and Medicine is awarded in equal shares to Anne Dejean Professor Emerita, Institut Pasteur, France Hugues de Thé Professor and Chair of Cellular and Molecular Oncology, Collège de France and Zhu Chen Professor, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, PRC for the discovery of the molecular and cellular bases of acute promyelocytic leukemia and the pioneering of a synergistic targeted therapy that transformed the disease from one of the most deadly to one of the most curable cancers. The Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences is awarded in equal shares to Emmanuel Candès The Barnum–Simons Chair in Mathematics and Statistics, Stanford University, USA and Camillo De Lellis IBM von Neumann Professor, School of Mathematics, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, USA for their breakthrough contributions to the use of deep techniques from mathematical analysis to rigorously understand applied problems in information theory, signal processing and statistics on the one hand, and to the study of singularities in geometric measure theory and fluid dynamics on the other. Wednesday, 27 May 2026. At today's press conference in Hong Kong, The Shaw Prize Foundation announced the Shaw Laureates for 2026. Information was posted on the website at Hong Kong time 15:30 (GMT 07:30). The Shaw Prize consists of four annual prizes — Astronomy, Life Science and Medicine, and Mathematical Sciences, awarded since 2004, together with the newly introduced Computer Science Prize, to be awarded from 2027. Each bearing a monetary award of US$1.2 million. This will be the twenty-third year that the Prize has been awarded and the date of presentation ceremony will be announced in due course. SOURCE Shaw Prize 21% more press release views with Request a Demo

Yu is honored by the U.K.’s national academy of sciences for his work in synthetic organic chemistry. May 27, 2026 LA JOLLA, CA—Professor Jin-Quan Yu of Scripps Research has been elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society, the U.K.’s national academy of sciences and one of the world’s oldest scientific institutions. Founded in 1660, the Royal Society is an independent academy that supports scientific excellence and its use for the public good. This recognition carries special meaning for Yu, whose early idea for asymmetric carbon–hydrogen (C–H) activation research at the University of Cambridge received support from the Royal Society in 2002. Today at Scripps Research, Yu holds the Bristol Myers Squibb Endowed Chair in Chemistry and is the Frank and Bertha Hupp Professor of Chemistry. As a leading figure in synthetic organic chemistry, he develops new ways to build and modify complex molecules with greater control. Much of Yu’s work centers on C–H activation: a method that transforms C–H bonds directly rather than relying on longer, less efficient routes. With more than 300 published studies, Yu has helped advance catalysts and reaction designs that allow chemists to make highly selective changes to molecules, including methods for creating chiral, or “single-handed,” compounds. This handedness property is similar to how left and right gloves mirror each other but aren’t interchangeable, and it can strongly influence how a molecule behaves in the body. Among his most important contributions, Yu developed the first generation of chiral catalysts for enantioselective C–H activation. Last year, a paper from his lab described a technique that uses a novel catalyst and inexpensive fluoride salts to modify C–H bonds, with potential applications in drug development and improved medical imaging. Yu also expanded C–H activation to alcohols and, more recently, to ketones and esters. In addition, his lab devised a straightforward method for making saturated heterocycles, which are ring-shaped compounds found in many FDA-approved drugs. Throughout his career, Yu has received several prestigious honors, including the Akira Suzuki Award, the Chemical Pioneer Award from the American Institute of Chemists, the Henry J. Albert Award from the International Precious Metals Institute, the Max Tishler Prize from Harvard University, the Yamada-Koga Prize from the University of Tokyo, a MacArthur Fellowship (also known as a “genius grant”), and election to both the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. New Fellows of the Royal Society will take part in related events scheduled for July, including a seminar where they’ll present their work as well as an admissions ceremony where they can formally sign the academy’s Charter Book. For more information, contact press@scripps.edu See More News

Researchers have developed a stem cell-based model of the human intestine that may transform how new IBD treatments are discovered. After testing thousands of compounds, they identified glycyrrhizin — a natural substance found in black licorice — as a promising anti-inflammatory candidate. In both lab-grown tissue and mice, the compound reduced intestinal damage and cell death linked to IBD.Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects millions of people worldwide, and current treatments often fail to provide lasting relief. Now, researchers have developed a new stem cell-based model of the human intestine that could help scientists discover more effective therapies. Their findings, published in Stem Cell Reports, point to glycyrrhizin, a natural compound found in black licorice, as a promising candidate for reducing intestinal inflammation and preventing cell death. IBD is a chronic condition marked by ongoing inflammation in the digestive tract. Common symptoms include persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, and other complications that can significantly affect daily life. Researchers estimate that around 4 million people around the world are living with the disease, and the number continues to rise. Although treatments such as anti-inflammatory medications and immune-targeting drugs are available, many patients do not respond well enough or continue to experience symptoms despite therapy. Stem Cell Model Mimics Human Intestinal Disease One challenge in developing new IBD treatments is finding a laboratory model that accurately reflects the human intestinal wall. High-throughput screening (HTS), which allows scientists to rapidly test thousands of potential drug compounds, depends on having a reliable system for studying the disease. To tackle this problem, a research team led by Yu Takahashi at the University of Tokyo in Japan created a human intestine model using stem cells. The scientists then triggered an IBD-like condition by exposing the tissue to a major inflammatory protein linked to the disease in patients. The team confirmed that the protein caused inflammation and cell death in the lab-grown intestinal tissue. With the model established, the researchers screened roughly 3,500 compounds to search for substances that could protect the cells. Black Licorice Compound Emerges as a Top Candidate Among the strongest performers was glycyrrhizin, a naturally occurring ingredient in black licorice. Earlier studies had already suggested that the compound could help in cellular and animal models of IBD, and the new research provided additional support for its potential benefits. In the stem cell-derived intestinal model, glycyrrhizin significantly reduced intestinal cell death. Similar effects were also seen in mice with IBD, where the compound lowered inflammation levels and reduced damage to intestinal cells. Potential for Future IBD Treatments The researchers say the findings demonstrate how stem cell-derived intestinal models could become valuable tools for discovering new drugs for inflammatory bowel disease. While the early results are encouraging, additional clinical studies will be needed to determine whether glycyrrhizin can safely and effectively treat IBD in people without causing harmful side effects.