Shinichiro Sawa | Medicine | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Shinichiro Sawa | Medicine | Best Researcher Award

Professor | Kyushu University | Japan 

Dr. Shinichiro Sawa is a highly accomplished Japanese immunologist and medical researcher renowned for his pioneering work in immune regulation, autoimmunity, and inflammation. He currently serves as a Professor at the Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Japan, where he leads innovative studies in molecular and cellular immunology. Dr. Sawa began his academic journey at Osaka University, earning his Medical Degree (M.D.) in 2000 and subsequently his Ph.D. in Medicine in 2006 from the same institution, where he developed a strong foundation in biomedical sciences and experimental medicine. His professional trajectory includes significant academic roles as Assistant Professor at the University of Tokyo (2011–2016) and Associate Professor at Hokkaido University’s Institute for Genetic Medicine (2016–2018) before joining Kyushu University in 2019. Dr. Sawa’s research interests center on understanding how immune cells, such as γδ T cells, fibroblasts, and plasma cells, interact with tissue environments to regulate immune tolerance, autoimmunity, and inflammatory diseases. His studies, published in prestigious journals such as Nature Immunology, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and Journal of Investigative Dermatology, have shed light on how fibroblasts contribute to central immune tolerance and how plasma cells promote osteoclastogenesis in autoimmune arthritis. His research skills encompass cellular immunology, molecular signaling analysis, animal modeling of immune diseases, flow cytometry, and translational immunopathology, demonstrating both depth and precision in experimental design and interpretation. Recognized for his scientific contributions, Dr. Sawa has received numerous academic honors and research recognitions throughout his career, reflecting his influence in the global immunology community. In conclusion, Dr. Shinichiro Sawa stands as a leading figure in immunological research, bridging basic science and clinical application to advance our understanding of immune homeostasis and to pave the way for novel therapeutic strategies against autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID

Featured Publications

  1. Nonaka, D., Yoshida, S., Nakano, K., Li, X., Okamura, T., Umemoto, E., Yamada, T., Watanabe, M., Jinno, S., Ito, M., Tsuda, M., Noguchi, N., Jiang, X.-J., Sumiya, E., & Sawa, S. (2025). Fibroblast-derived CSF1 maintains colonization of gut mucosal macrophage to resist bacterial infection. Mucosal Immunology.

  2. Onji, M., Sigl, V., Lendl, T., Novatchkova, M., Ullate-Agote, A., Andersson-Rolf, A., Kozieradzki, I., Koglgruber, R., Pai, T.-P., Lichtscheidl, D., Nayak, K., Zilbauer, M., Carranza García, N.-A., Sievers, L., Falk-Paulsen, M., Cronin, S. J. F., Hagelkruys, A., Sawa, S., Osborne, L. C., Rosenstiel, P., Pasparakis, M., Ruland, J., Takayanagi, H., Clevers, H., Koo, B.-H., & Penninger, J. M. (2025). RANK drives structured intestinal epithelial expansion during pregnancy. Nature, 637(8044), 156–166.

  3. Nitta, T., Tsutsumi, M., Nitta, S., Muro, R., Suzuki, E. C., Nakano, K., Tomofuji, Y., Sawa, S., Okamura, T., Penninger, J. M., & Takayanagi, H. (2020). Fibroblasts as a source of self-antigens for central immune tolerance. Nature Immunology, 21(10), 1172–1180.

  4. Nagashima, K., Sawa, S., Nitta, T., Tsutsumi, M., Okamura, T., Penninger, J. M., Nakashima, T., & Takayanagi, H. (2017). Identification of subepithelial mesenchymal cells that induce IgA and diversify gut microbiota. Nature Immunology, 18(6), 675–682.

  5. Onder, L., Mörbe, U., Pikor, N., Novkovic, M., Cheng, H.-W., Hehlgans, T., Pfeffer, K., Becher, B., Waisman, A., Rülicke, T., Gommerman, J., Müller, C., Sawa, S., Scandella, E., & Ludewig, B. (2017). Lymphatic endothelial cells control initiation of lymph node organogenesis. Immunity, 47(1), 80–92.

 

Hugh Sampson | Medicine | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Hugh Sampson | Medicine | Best Researcher Award

Professor of Pediatrics | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | United States

Dr. Hugh A. Sampson, MD, is a distinguished physician-scientist and pediatric immunologist best known for his pioneering contributions in food allergy and immunopathogenesis, and is currently the Kurt Hirschhorn Professor of Pediatrics and Director Emeritus of the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He earned a B.A. in Biology from Hamilton College in 1971, then obtained his M.D. from SUNY Buffalo in 1975, followed by a pediatric residency at Northwestern University / Children’s Memorial Hospital and an allergy/immunology fellowship at Duke University (1978–1980). Over his career, he has held leadership roles including chairing the Section on Allergy & Immunology of the American Academy of Pediatrics, serving as past President of AAAAI, holding editorial board positions in leading allergy/immunology journals, and directing national food allergy research consortia. His research interests encompass the pathogenesis of food-induced anaphylaxis, the molecular and immunologic characterization of allergenic food proteins and epitopes, genetics and immune regulation in food allergy, development of precision diagnostics (e.g. epitope-specific IgE/IgG4 profiles), and immunotherapy strategies (oral, epicutaneous, sublingual, and biologics such as anti-IgE) as well as novel therapeutic approaches. His research skills include translational and clinical trial design, immunologic assays (e.g. epitope mapping, serologic biomarkers), mechanistic in vitro and in vivo models, bioinformatics integration, large cohort epidemiologic and registry studies, and mentoring interdisciplinary teams. Among his many awards and honors are election to the National Academy of Medicine (Institute of Medicine) in 2003, the Brett Ratner Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Distinguished Scientist Award of AAAAI, memberships in honorary societies (Alpha Omega Alpha, Sigma Xi), and repeated recognitions from Research.com as a top immunology scientist. According to his institutional profile, his h-index (based on Scopus/Pure) is listed at ~85,982 (which appears anomalous and may reflect internal counting metrics), while bibliometric sources more conservatively report an h-index of ~147 with over 800+ publications; traditional citation counts exceed 100,000 across his work. In conclusion, Dr. Sampson’s career exemplifies a remarkable integration of basic immunology and clinical translation: his leadership, mentorship, and sustained high-impact scholarship have shaped the modern field of food allergy research, spawning diagnostic and therapeutic innovations and training generations of investigators in allergy and immunology.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID 

Featured Publications

  1. Rose, N. R., Milisauskas, V., & Sampson, H. A. (1975). Species-specific tissue antigens. III. Immunological relationships of enzymic antigens in various species. Clinical and Experimental Immunology, 20, 359–370.

  2. Sampson, H. A., & Buckley, R. H. (1981). Human IgE synthesis in vitro: A reassessment. Journal of Immunology, 127, 829–834.

  3. Rich, K. C., Sampson, H. A., Edwards, N. L., & Fox, I. H. (1981). Familial hypogammaglobulinemia with variable serum immunoglobulins: Concordance with lymphocyte ecto-5′-nucleotidase deficiency. American Journal of Diseases of Children, 135, 795–798.

  4. Sampson, H. A., Walchner, A., & Baker, P. (1981). Recurrent pyogenic infections in individuals with absence of the second component of complement. Journal of Clinical Immunology, 2, 39–45.

  5. LoGalbo, P. R., Sampson, H. A., & Buckley, R. H. (1982). Symptomatic giardiasis in three patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia. Journal of Pediatrics, 101, 78–80.

 

 

Yigit Akin | Medicine | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dr. Yigit Akin | Medicine | Best Researcher Award

Yigit Akin | Izmir Kâtip Celebi University School of Medicine | Turkey

Professor Yigit Akin is a distinguished urologist and academic leader specializing in uro-oncology, robotic surgery, and minimally invasive laparoscopy. He earned his M.D. from Ege University Faculty of Medicine in 2004 and completed advanced training in robotics, laparoscopy, and uro-oncology at Klinikum Heilbronn, Germany, between 2013 and 2014. Currently, he serves as Head of Urology at Izmir Katip Celebi University, Turkey, leading one of the country’s premier uro-oncology centers. With over 210 peer-reviewed publications, 14 book chapters, and editorial board memberships in international journals, his contributions are well recognized in PubMed and IEEE-indexed forums. He has directed multiple multidisciplinary and international research projects, notably pioneering the extraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy using 3 trocars (#3trocarsELRP), with more than 1300 successful procedures. A global mentor in laparoscopic surgery, Prof. Akin has conducted live surgical workshops and training in over 10 countries, while also supervising international clinical fellows. His leadership extends to community-based medical training, editorial contributions, and professional memberships in leading medical and surgical associations. Prof. Akin is strongly positioned to lead next-generation cancer genetics and surgical innovation research. His expertise in developing novel laparoscopic techniques, combined with mentorship of global fellows, demonstrates the potential to advance robotic uro-oncology surgery, elevate Q1 journal contributions, and strengthen international collaborations that will shape the future of minimally invasive urology worldwide.

Profile: ORCID 

Featured Publications

orulmaz, E. M., Dönmez, K., Görgel, S. N., & Akin, Y. (2025). Penil fraktür nedeniyle opere edilen hastaların klinik sonuçları ve komplikasyonlarla ilişkili faktörler: 10 yıllık sonuçlarımız. Androloji Bülteni.

Tekinaslan, H., Görgel, S. N., & Akin, Y. (2025). Malekot kateter kırığına bağlı retroperitoneal yabancı cisim: Nadir bir olgu sunumu. Endouroloji Bülteni.

Dama, M., Yorulmaz, E. M., Özcan, S., Köse, O., Görgel, S. N., & Akin, Y. (2025). AISI, SIRI, and MLR in predicting surgical outcomes after radical cystectomy: Revisiting inflammatory risk markers. Medicina, 61(10), 1756.

Dama, M., Yorulmaz, E. M., Özcan, S., Köse, O., Görgel, S. N., & Akin, Y. (2025). Optimising imaging strategies in suspected urolithiasis: Effects on diagnostic and therapeutic timelines. Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi.

Özcan, S., Dama, M., Yorulmaz, E. M., Köse, O., Görgel, S. N., & Akin, Y. (2025). Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate and postoperative dysuria: A 20-year bibliometric perspective. Trends in Surgical Sciences.