Takashi Akera is exploring a lesser-understood process in reproduction: the advancement of “selfish DNA.” A cell biologist from Japan, Akera was awarded the 2026 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science for his work to unlock the mysteries of these genetic elements. 

“Selfish DNA” exploits cell division during reproduction to increase the chances of being passed on from parents to offspring even at the cost of human health. Their activity can lead to chromosomal disorders like Down Syndrome as well as fertility complications. 

Selfish Genes Break the Rules

Previously thought to be an undisputed principle in biology, Mendel’s Law of Segregation states that two alleles of a gene have an equal chance to be passed on to reproductive cells. Selfish DNA does not adhere to these rules, dismantling what was previously considered immutable fact. This “genetic cheating,” also called meiotic drive, influences genetics, evolution, and reproduction. 

Akera’s lab at the National Institutes of Health applies cell biology and evolutionary biology to study mouse oocytes, or unfertilized egg cells, to discover how meiotic drive works at the molecular level and understand its impact on reproduction in mammals. 

“Our research reveals how selfish DNA breaks Mendel’s Law, fundamentally reshaping how we understand genetic inheritance,” Akera says. “Most recently, we discovered that selfish DNA can actively kill eggs and embryos that do not inherit them. This mechanism ensures only offspring with selfish DNA survive, causing inheritance bias and fertility issues.” 

Reframing Genetics 

Though meiotic drive was first discovered in 1942, Akera’s lab is using cutting-edge cell biology tools to manipulate selfish DNA in real time. They found that selfish DNA caused structural damages to the chromosome, ultimately leading to infertility in female mice. 

“Meiosis is an inherently error-prone process in women with direct relevance to fertility—roughly 15% of couples have trouble conceiving in the U.S. and many infertility issues may stem from selfish DNA trying to bias their transmission during meiosis,” Akera explains. “Our work reframes classical genetics through the lens of competition within the genome and opens up new paths to address infertility and chromosomal disorders.” 

Akera notes that selfish DNA acts similarly to a pathogen, except that instead of external cells invading a host, the disease resides in our own genome. 

“While we often think of diseases spreading from person to person, I believe we must also consider trans-generational spreading, especially when a mutation is preferentially transmitted,” Akera says. “Like other pathogens, successful selfish DNA exploit fundamental biological processes, so that cells cannot easily suppress them by abandoning that process. I strongly believe that studying selfish DNA also provides a unique angle to discover fundamental aspects in genetics and reproductive biology.”

Curiosity-driven Science

Akera hopes that his research will uncover how disease-causing mutations are passed down by discovering their structure. His goal is to use these findings to address global agricultural issues, including sex bias in chickens. Currently, more than 6 billion male chicks are killed each year because only female, egg-laying chicks have commercial value. The discoveries made by Akera’s lab may help skew sex ratios towards females, ultimately reducing unnecessary chick culling and improving egg production. 

Lastly, Akera aims to use this research to achieve his childhood dream: space exploration. Akera was one of the top 10 finalists out of 4,127 applicants in the most recent astronaut-selection process by the Japanese space agency, JAXA. He wants to eventually be accepted in the program, and apply his research to understanding how space travel affects reproduction in mammals. Space radiation inherently causes DNA damage and mutations. Selfish DNA evolves faster than other genetic material, so might accelerate their evolution further.  

“These diverse future directions—disease genetics, agriculture, and space biology—are connected by a common objective: using curiosity-driven science to uncover fundamental biological mechanisms and apply them creatively to benefit society,” Akera says.