Yoshiki Sasai

Japanese stem-cell biologist (1962-2014)

Yoshiki Sasai (笹井 芳樹, Sasai Yoshiki, 1962 – 5 August 2014) was a Japanese biologist. He was Director of the Laboratory for Organogenesis and Neurogenesis at the research institute RIKEN. Sasai was best known for developing new methods to grow stem cells into organ-like structures.[1]

Yoshiki Sasai
Yoshiki Sasai, circa 2012
Born1962
Hyogo, Japan
Died5 August 2014(2014-08-05) (aged 52)
NationalityJapanese
Alma materKyoto University
Scientific career
FieldsBiology
InstitutionsRIKEN

In 2012, Sasai became the first stem cell researcher to grow an optic cup from human cells.[2]

On August 5, 2014, he was found dead hanging at the RIKEN institute in Kobe, Hyōgo. It is believed that he committed suicide.[3]

References

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  1. Cyranoski, David (2012). "Tissue engineering: The brainmaker". Nature (journal). 488 (7412): 444–446. Bibcode:2012Natur.488..444C. doi:10.1038/488444a. PMID 22914148. S2CID 20834418. Retrieved 6 July 2013. 'He' is Yoshiki Sasai, a stem-cell biologist at the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe, Japan. Sasai has impressed many researchers with his green-fingered talent for coaxing neural stem cells to grow into elaborate structures.
  2. Dvorsky, George (18 June 2012). "Scientists spark the growth of a human eye with stem cells". io9. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2013. Moreover, Sasai's breakthrough marks the first time that such a complicated feat was done with human cells.
  3. Asahi Shinbun Digital, August 4, 2014[permanent dead link]


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