World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Shizuo Akira

Shizuo Akira

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Best Scientists
2025
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Immunology
Japan
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Best Scientists

D-Index
307
Citations
474072
World Ranking
12
National Ranking
1

Immunology

D-Index
309
Citations
478811
World Ranking
1
National Ranking
1

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Immunology in Japan Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Best Scientists Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Immunology in Japan Leader Award
  • 2023 - Research.com Immunology in Japan Leader Award
  • 2023 - Research.com Medicine in Japan Leader Award
  • 2022 - Research.com Immunology in Japan Leader Award
  • 2022 - Research.com Medicine in Japan Leader Award
  • 2011 - Canada Gairdner International Award
  • 2010 - Keio Medical Science Prize, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
  • 2009 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences
  • 2004 - Robert Koch Prize

Overview

Shizuo Akira is primarily affiliated with Osaka University in Japan and has an extensive research portfolio focused on immunology, molecular biology, and medicine. Their work addresses various aspects of immune response, inflammation, and cytokine signaling pathways.

The scientist's recent papers include the following:

  • Decoding Toll-like receptors: Recent insights and perspectives in innate immunity (2024, Immunity)
  • CGRP sensory neurons promote tissue healing via neutrophils and macrophages (2024, Nature)
  • Control of RNA Stability in Immunity (2021, Annual Review of Immunology)
  • Eosinophils attenuate hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice through ST2-dependent IL-13 production (2021, Science Translational Medicine)
  • Local administration of regulatory T cells promotes tissue healing (2024, Nature Communications)

The main fields of study in Shizuo Akira's research output are:

  • Medicine
  • Immunology and Microbiology
  • Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Subfields of specialization include:

  • Immunology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology
  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
  • Pharmacology

Key topics addressed in the scientist's research are:

  • Immune Response and Inflammation
  • IL-33, ST2, and ILC Pathways
  • Interferon and immune responses
  • Inflammatory mediators and NSAID effects
  • Immune Cell Function and Interaction
  • Immune cells in cancer
  • Cytokine Signaling Pathways and Interactions

Frequent co-authors of Shizuo Akira include:

  • Takashi Satoh
  • Atsushi Kumanogoh
  • Satoshi Uematsu
  • Kiyoharu Fukushima
  • Daisuke Motooka

The scientist's works are primarily published in venues such as:

  • Proceedings for Annual Meeting of The Japanese Pharmacological Society
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
  • Immunity
  • UNC Libraries
  • Nature Communications

Shizuo Akira has received multiple awards during their career, including the Canada Gairdner International Award (2011), Keio Medical Science Prize from Keio University in Tokyo (2010), membership in the National Academy of Sciences (2009), and the Robert Koch Prize (2004).

Best Publications

  • Pathogen Recognition and Innate Immunity

    Shizuo Akira;Satoshi Uematsu;Osamu Takeuchi

  • Toll-like receptors.

    Kiyoshi Takeda;Tsuneyasu Kaisho;Shizuo Akira

  • Toll-like receptor signalling

    Shizuo Akira;Kiyoshi Takeda

  • The role of pattern-recognition receptors in innate immunity: update on Toll-like receptors

    Taro Kawai;Shizuo Akira

  • Pattern Recognition Receptors and Inflammation

    Osamu Takeuchi;Shizuo Akira

  • Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy

    Daniel J. Klionsky;Fabio C. Abdalla;Hagai Abeliovich;Robert T. Abraham

  • A Toll-like receptor recognizes bacterial DNA.

    Hiroaki Hemmi;Osamu Takeuchi;Taro Kawai;Tsuneyasu Kaisho

  • Erratum A Toll-like receptor recognizes bacterial DNA

    Hiroaki Hemmi;Osamu Takeuchi;Taro Kawai;Tsuneyasu Kaisho

  • Toll-like receptors: critical proteins linking innate and acquired immunity.

    Shizuo Akira;Kiyoshi Takeda;Tsuneyasu Kaisho

  • Toll-like receptors in innate immunity.

    Kiyoshi Takeda;Shizuo Akira

  • Species-Specific Recognition of Single-Stranded RNA via Toll-like Receptor 7 and 8

    Florian Heil;Hiroaki Hemmi;Hubertus Hochrein;Franziska Ampenberger

  • The RNA helicase RIG-I has an essential function in double-stranded RNA-induced innate antiviral responses.

    Mitsutoshi Yoneyama;Mika Kikuchi;Takashi Natsukawa;Noriaki Shinobu

  • The innate immune response to bacterial flagellin is mediated by Toll-like receptor 5.

    Fumitaka Hayashi;Kelly D. Smith;Adrian Ozinsky;Thomas R. Hawn;Thomas R. Hawn

  • Cutting edge: Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-deficient mice are hyporesponsive to lipopolysaccharide: evidence for TLR4 as the Lps gene product.

    Katsuaki Hoshino;Osamu Takeuchi;Taro Kawai;Hideki Sanjo

  • Differential roles of MDA5 and RIG-I helicases in the recognition of RNA viruses

    Hiroki Kato;Osamu Takeuchi;Shintaro Sato;Mitsutoshi Yoneyama

  • Innate antiviral responses by means of TLR7-mediated recognition of single-stranded RNA.

    Sandra S. Diebold;Tsuneyasu Kaisho;Hiroaki Hemmi;Shizuo Akira

  • Toll-like Receptors and Their Crosstalk with Other Innate Receptors in Infection and Immunity

    Taro Kawai;Shizuo Akira

  • Differential roles of TLR2 and TLR4 in recognition of gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial cell wall components.

    Osamu Takeuchi;Katsuaki Hoshino;Taro Kawai;Hideki Sanjo

  • Role of adaptor TRIF in the MyD88-independent toll-like receptor signaling pathway.

    Masahiro Yamamoto;Shintaro Sato;Hiroaki Hemmi;Katsuaki Hoshino

  • TLR SIGNALING PATHWAYS

    Kiyoshi Takeda;Shizuo Akira

Frequent Co-Authors

Kiyoshi Takeda
Kiyoshi Takeda Osaka University
Satoshi Uematsu
Satoshi Uematsu Osaka Metropolitan University
Osamu Takeuchi
Osamu Takeuchi Kyoto University
Taro Kawai
Taro Kawai Nara Institute of Science and Technology
Ken J. Ishii
Ken J. Ishii University of Tokyo
Masahiro Yamamoto
Masahiro Yamamoto Osaka University
Tatsuya Saitoh
Tatsuya Saitoh Osaka University
Tadamitsu Kishimoto
Tadamitsu Kishimoto Osaka University
Tsuneyasu Kaisho
Tsuneyasu Kaisho Wakayama Medical University
Shintaro Sato
Shintaro Sato Osaka University

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