MITSUHARU HATTORI

Mitsuharu Hattori, age 29, discovered how brain formation depends on a specific enzyme called platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase. Said Hattori, "Although this enzyme had been thought to have nothing to do with brain development, I found that the lack of one subunit of this enzyme leads to 'smooth brain' disease. In other words, my thesis work demonstrated that we really know little about the brain."

In actuality, Hattori's research, conducted while at the University of Tokyo, is an important step toward understanding what causes Miller-Dieker syndrome, a condition that results in a baby being born with a brain in which the gyri, or folds, are absent or only partly formed. Children with this syndrome have profound mental retardation; many die within the first two years of life.

When asked what his career goals are, Hattori answered not in terms of jobs or money: "I want to contribute to our understanding of the brain, how it is formed and how it works. If my work could help in the prevention and treatment of brain diseases in the future, I would be extremely glad."

The Pharmacia Biotech & Science prize is extremely important to Hattori for personal reasons. He said, "My parents, who do not understand molecular biology at all, now know that my work is important." He continued, "I was supposed to take over the restaurants that my grandfather established and my father runs. However, I wanted to be a scientist. So I left my hometown. I want to be a good scientist in order to convince my family that my decision was right."

Hattori is from Kuwana, a small city in Japan that he loves and misses. He reported that his parents and brother and sister are all still there. "No doubt they won't move to another place because they are running some restaurants there." Hattori is now a postdoc at Harvard, conducting research in developmental biology.

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