Takashi Yoshimura, Ph.D., a professor at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM) at Nagoya University in Japan, has won the 2015 Van Meter Award for his contributions to thyroid research. The Van Meter Award, which was established in 1930 is presented by the American Thyroid Association (ATA) to a young clinical scientist who has made outstanding contributions to research on the thyroid gland and thyroid hormones. “When I first started research, I had never imagined that I would be carrying out research on thyroid hormones. As we were unraveling the mystery of seasonal sensing in animals, we found that the thyroid hormone and the thyroid-stimulating hormone play an important role,” Dr. Yoshimura said. “Through further studies, I wish to continue to uncover the sophisticated survival strategies of animals.” Dr. Yoshimura’s achievements consist of a series of discoveries made in birds, mammals, and fish on elucidating the role of thyroid hormones in seasonal reproduction. His research is expected to lead to advances in understanding and improving human reproductive health and mood disorders related to seasonal changes. In a little more detail, Dr. Yoshimura’s remarkable contributions to thyroid research relate to a series of fascinating discoveries made in birds, mammals, and fish that link photoreceptors in the brain to thyroid hormone-based regulation of seasonal reproduction. He holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences and is a Professor in the Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences and Director of the Avian Bioscience Research Center at University of Nagoya, Japan. Sparking Dr.Login Or Register To Read Full Story