A 76-year-old professor of Kyoto University, Tasuku Honjo, and an American professor of Texas University, James Allison, were awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine, announced the Nobel Assembly, October 1.

Professor Honjo discovered the PD-1 protein responsible for suppressing immune response leading to a pathway for a new type of cancer treatment.

He told the press in an interview after the announcement that he was honored and pleased to receive the prize and that he would continue his study to make his immunotherapy further assist cancer patients in the future.

Prof. Honjo’s study helped develop Nivolumab which further led to the marketing a drug called Opdivo now employed in the treatment of lung cancer and melanoma.

Three Japanese scientists have won the Nobel Prize in medicine in the recent years: Yoshinori Ohsumi in 2016, Satoshi Omura a year earlier and Kyoto University’s Shinya Yamanaka in 2012. Japanese nationals, including two later naturalized to become U.S. citizens, have thus won 26 Nobel Prizes across all categories.

Prof. Honjo betrays a rather charming personality and his wife of potential wisdom. In a local TV interview with his wife Shigeko, visibly shorter in height, he openly declared to have been an authentic domineering husband reigning over his family throughout his career while his wife calmly admitted her role to be an utter behind-the-scener.

Prof. Honjo told the press that he would donate the total prize money to his university to help support the upcoming researchers in his field.

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