Advances in Bioorganometallic Chemistry

Toshikazu Hirao graduated in 1973 from Kyoto University, where he obtained his doctorate in 1978. He became Assistant Professor at Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University and was a postdoctoral fellow at The University of Wisconsin with Professor Barry M. Trost (1981–1982). Dr. Hirao was promoted to Associate Professor in 1992 and Professor in 1994. After retirement in 2015, he became Specially Appointed Professor at The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University. He has been involved in the development of synthetic methodology and received the Chemical Society of Japan Award for Young Chemists in 1984. Dr. Hirao’s current research interests lie in the area of the construction of an efficient system for electron transfer, which allows the development of new methods in organic synthesis, and novel redox-active systems consisting of transition metal complexes and p-conjugated polymers or oligomers including p bowls (sumanene and its derivatives). These areas of research are correlated to the development of bioorganometallic conjugates. He received the Vanadius Award and the Award for Outstanding Achievements in Bioorganometallic Chemistry in 2008. He was director and vice-president of the Chemical Society of Japan. Toshiyuki Moriuchi received his bachelor’s degree in 1991 and his doctoral degree in 1995 under the supervision of Professor Toshikazu Hirao, both from Osaka University. He became Assistant Professor at Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University and was a postdoctoral fellow at California Institute of Technology with Professor Jacqueline K. Barton (1996–1997). Dr. Moriuchi was promoted to Lecturer in 2004 and Associate Professor in 2008. He was promoted to Professor at Osaka City University in 2018. His current research interests focus on the development of novel artificial bioconjugated systems based on self-organization of biomolecules and creation of protean hybrid molecular systems for functionalized catalysts and materials. He received the Inoue Research Award for Young Scientists in 1997, HGCS Japan Award of Excellence 2011 in 2012, the 15th Kansai Branch Award of the Society of Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Japan in 2017, and Nagase Foundation Award 2018 in 2018.

1. Synthesis, structure and reactivity 2. Hydrogenase 3. Medicinal Chemistry and Metallodrugs 4. Metalloproteins and metalloenzymes 5. Vitamin B12