Takanori Takebe receives the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science for developing vascularized three-dimensional human organoid tissue from pluripotent stem cells that can be transplanted in humans, paving the way for targeted approaches to hepatic diseases.

Takebe’s driving goal is to understand the interactions between systems in living organisms, and how minute alterations in genetics or biology within one system can have a profound impact on multiple systems in the body.

Born in 1986 into a working-class family in Yokohama, Japan, a pivotal moment in Takebe’s life came when doctors saved his father from a stroke. He understood then the power of medicine—not just for patients, but also for their families, friends, and communities. From then on, he held medicine in awe and decided to pursue a career in the field.

While studying to be a doctor at Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Takebe became increasingly concerned by doctors’ rigid adherence to standard protocols, understanding that each individual patient’s situation is unique. This inspired him to pursue a career in biomedical research where he could ask and explore questions of health and medicine through scientific inquiry.

He began stem cell research in the laboratory of Hideki Taniguchi. This early research led him to identify a novel somatic progenitor population in the ear, with his findings being published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS).

After completing his medical degree in 2011, Takebe remained at Yokohama City University School of Medicine as an associate professor, focusing on the emerging field of stem cell and developmental biology. In 2013, he invented a breakthrough technology for developing vascularized 3D tissues (organoids) by recapitulating the processes of organogenesis. This drove the creation of “miniature livers” that can protect against fatal liver damage by transplantation.

In 2016 he immigrated to the United States to take a position as an assistant professor at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. As founder of Takebe Lab at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital’s Medical Center, one of his core philosophies is “think weird”—encouraging researchers to be bold and imaginative in their questions and hypotheses, to dare to imagine and experiment.

Awards and Accomplishments

Mochida Memorial Award, Mochida Memorial Foundation for Medical and Pharmaceutical Research (2023)
ISSCR Outstanding Young Investigator, International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) (2023)
Inoue Prize for Science, Inoue Foundation for Science (2022)
Falk Transformational Award (2022)
Elected member of American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI) (2021)
Faculty Award (Basic Science Research Achievement Award) (2021)
2020 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (2020)
2019 Nagase Prize (1st prize), Frontier Science Foundation (2019)
Falk Medical Research Trust Catalyst Award, The Medical Foundation at Health Resources (2019)
Research Award in the Natural Sciences, The Mitsubishi Foundation (2019)
Young Scientist Prize (1st prize), Japanese Association of Medical Sciences (2019)
Japan Academy Medal, Japan Academy (2019)
Research Award, Takeda Science Foundation (2019)
JSPS Prize of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (2018)
Young Scientist Prize, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) (2017)
NISTEP Award, National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (2017)
Robertson Investigator Award, New York Stem Cell Foundation (2016)
WIRED Audi INNOVATION AWARD (2016)
Young Scientists’ Prize, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (2016)
Baelz Prize, Boehringer Ingelheim (2015)
BD Stem Cell Grant (2015)
Umehara Prize, Yokohama Medical Research Promotion Foundation (2015)
Science AAAS, 10 Breakthroughs of the Year, 2013 (2014)
Discover Magazine, Top 5 Science Stories of 2013 (2014)
Research Innovation Award, Japan Society of Organ Preservation and Medical Biology (2014)
Yokohama Igakukai Award (2014)
Research Award, Kanae Foundation for the Promotion of Medical Science (2014)
Travel Award, International Society for Stem Cell Research 11th annual meeting (2013)
Young Investigator Award, Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine (2012)
Best Oral Presentation Award, 12th Congress of the Asian Society of Transplantation (2011)
Mirai Design Award 2030, Dentsu Inc. & Hakuhodo Inc. (2011)
Gold Medal, Medical Dean’s Award of Yokohama City University (2011)
Summa Cum Laude, Yokohama City University (2010)
Presidential Award, Yokohama City University (2008)