The laureates of the Kyoto University Lectureship Award 2026 were announced on September 25. Rooted in Kyoto University’s distinguished tradition of producing numerous Nobel laureates, this award was established in 2025 to honor outstanding researchers who will pioneer the future of science, with the aim of fostering international research networks and promoting the sound advancement of academic scholarship. Following the inaugural 2025 award in the field of Life Sciences or Medicine, the 2026 award has expanded to encompass two additional fields, Chemistry and Physics, with laureates selected across all three disciplines.
Life Sciences or Medicine
Dr. Olga G. Troyanskaya
Professor, Princeton University
Award Citation: For pioneering contributions to bringing deep learning into functional genomics and establishing the foundation for modern AI-driven genomics
Chemistry
Dr. Mark D. Levin
Professor, The University of Chicago
Award Citation: For pioneering contributions to the development of skeletal editing, which enables the insertion or removal of a single atom into or from a completed molecular skeleton, providing a new strategy for organic synthesis
Physics
Dr. Shinsei Ryu
Professor, Princeton University
Award Citation: For uncovering profound connections between quantum information and gravitational geometry and for establishing a foundation for the systematic classification of topological phases of matter
During a press conference, the laureates were introduced and the reasons for their selection were presented by: Dr. Susumu Kitagawa, Executive Vice President for Research Promotion, Dr. Mitinori Saitou, Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study / Graduate School of Medicine (Chair, Selection Committee for Medicine and Life Sciences), Dr. Yasunori Hayashi, Professor at the Graduate School of Medicine (Chair, Selection Committee for Medicine and Life Sciences), Dr. Itaru Hamachi, Designated Professor at the Institute of Advanced Energy (Chair, Selection Committee for Chemistry), Dr. Tsuyoshi Nakaya, Professor at the Graduate School of Science (Chair, Selection Committee for Physics).
The award ceremony is scheduled for April 23, 2027, where the laureates will deliver commemorative lectures and exchange ideas with early-career researchers and students at Kyoto University. Through these dialogues with the laureates, we hope that sharing the insights and perspectives cultivated at the forefront of scholarship will trigger a chain reaction of fresh inspiration and nurture the seeds of pioneering research for the future.