Motonari Uesugi

Professor Motonari Uesugi is a Professor and Deputy Director of The Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences and Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University.

After completing postdoctoral training in Harvard Chemistry Department, Dr. Uesugi started his independent career in Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, where he has established an interdisciplinary laboratory in the area of chemical biology. He was tenured in Baylor in 2005, and moved to Kyoto University as a full professor in 2005.

He is a recipient of Tokyo Techno Forum 21 Gold Medal Award (2006), German Innovation Award (2011), Ichimura Award (2017).

Dr. Uesugi and his co-workers aim to gain a fundamental understanding of biological events through the study of small molecules.

He provides the first edX course from Japan, “The Chemistry of Life,” to create a new educational path for millions of learners worldwide.