Name:

Masaru Tanaka

Job:

Professor, Kyushu University

Address:

Soft Materials Chemistry, Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering,
Kyushu University, Build. CE41, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395,
Japan.
E-mail: masaru_tanaka@ms.ifoc.kyushu-u.ac.jp
URL: http://www. soft-material.jp/

Academic
degree:

PhD in Science, Hokkaido University (2003)

Professional
Experience:

1996 – 2000

Researcher, Research & Development Center, TERUMO
Corporation.

2000 – 2004

Research Associate, Research Institute for Electronic
Science, Hokkaido University.

2004 – 2006

Associate Professor, Creative Research Initiative "Sousei",
Hokkaido University.

2006 – 2007

Associate Professor, Nanotechnology Research Center,Hokkaido University.

2007 –2009

Associate Professor, Institute of Multidisciplinary Researchfor Advanced Materials, Tohoku University.
Visiting Scientist, Dept. of New Materials and Biosystems,

2009

Max-Planck-Institute for Metals Research.
2009–2015

Professor, Department of Engineering, Yamagata University.

2015 –Professor, Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering,
Kyushu University.

Recognition: PRESTO Investigator, JST (2001-2005)
A leader of Funding Program for Next Generation World-Leading Researchers(NEXT Program, Japan) (2011-2014)
Program officer, MEXT, Japan (2011-2014)
Award for Young Investigator of the Japanese Society for Biomaterials (2009)
Asahi Kasei Award, The Society of Polymer Science, Japan (2011)
The Ichimura Prize in Science for Excellent Achievement (2019)
A leader of Grant in Aid of MEXT: Aquatic Functional Materials (2019-)

Current
Research:

Chemistry of Biomedical Materials and Medical Devices, Biocompatibility ofPolymers and Bio-interfacial Water, The Roles of water molecules in thebiointerface-clarificationof

biocompatibility

mechanisms,

Tissue Engineering, Biomaterials, Polymer Science, Biointerphases

Masaru Tanaka is a professor at Kyushu University. He worked for TERUMO Co. (Leading
Medical Devices and Tissue Engineering Company in Japan) and designed novel biocompatible
polymers and commercialized as medical devices such as catheters, and artificial lung and heart(Global market share No.1). In 2000 he moved to Hokkaido University and in 2007 he moved toTohoku University. Stents covered with the self-organized porous 3D films are commerciallyavailable in the world clinical market (over 200 original patents). In 2009 he was awarded a full
professorship at Yamagata University. He became a leader of Funding Program for Next
Generation World-Leading Researchers (NEXT Program, Japan 2011-2014). Since 2015, he has
been at Kyushu University as a full Professor. Thus far, he has published over 170 papers inpeer reviewed journals (H-index 47), 50 book chapter, 115 others and has received 29 awards
including the Award for the Japanese Society for Biomaterials. He has received the SPSJ Asahi
Kasei Award for his intermediate water concept based on the role of interfacial water at materialinterphases. Intermediate water content is a good predictor of biological responses to materials
and is used for high throughput materials discovery. His roles are design of biocompatible
multi-functional materials by controlling the bio-interfacial water states, cell fate control by
self-organized biomaterials, precision synthesis of biocompatible polymers and theirapplications for biomedical devices and tissue Engineering.
Representative Academic Awards:
1. Young Scientist Award for the Presentation of an Excellent Paper; The Japan Society ofApplied Physics. 2002.
2. Award for the Presentation of an Excellent Paper; The Chemical Society of Japan. 2003.
3. Award for the Presentation of an Excellent Paper; The Japanese Society forRegenerative Medicine. 2004.
4. Award for Encouragement of Research in Polymer Science; The Society of Polymer
Science, Japan. 2005.
5. The Best Paper Award of The Japanese Society for Artificial Organs, The JapaneseSociety for Artificial Organs, 2007.
6. British Council PMI2 Connect-Research Co-operation Award, 2008.
7. The Award for Young Investigator of the Japanese Society for Biomaterials, TheJapanese Society for Biomaterials, 2009.
8. Asahi Kasei Award, The Society of Polymer Science, Japan , 2011.
9. International Association of Advanced Materials Scientists Award for the year 2016.
10.The Ichimura Prize in Science for Excellent Achievement, 2019.
11.The Award for the Japanese Society for Biomaterials, The Japanese Society forBiomaterials, 2021.