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No.

41 Jan. 20092009 Japan Prize Honors Dr. Dennis L. Meadows,
Lead Author of ‘The Limits to Growth,’ and
Dr. David E. Kuhl, the ‘Father of Emission Tomography’
Transformation towards
a sustainable society
in harmony with nature

Technological integrationof medical scienceand engineering

Dr. Dennis L. Meadows

Dr. David E. Kuhl

The Science and Technology Foundation of Japan decided to award the 2009 Japan Prize, one of the world’s mostprestigious awards in science and technology, to Dennis L. Meadows, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Systems Policy,
University of New Hampshire, and David E. Kuhl, M.D., Professor of Radiology, University of Michigan Medical
School.
The “2009 Japan Prize – Transformation towards a sustainable society in harmony with nature” award was given to Dr.
Meadows, 66, for his contribution towards a sustainable world continuing from his seminal 1972 report “The Limits toGrowth” that founded a new way of scientific paradigm on the globe’s limited resources. Dr. Meadows led the team ofscientists to produce the report.
The “2009 Japan Prize – Technological integration of medical science and engineering” award was given to Dr. Kuhl, 79,
known as the “Father of Emission Tomography,” in recognition of his contribution to tomographic imaging in nuclear
medicine.
The Foundation Selection Committee selected two American scientists out of the candidates nominated by prominent scientists and researchers worldwide.

OUTLINEThe Japan Prize is awarded to world-class scientists andtechnologists who were credited with original and outstandingachievements and contributed to the advancement of scienceand technology, thereby furthering the cause of peace and theprosperity of mankind. No distinction is made as to nationality,
occupation, race, or gender. Only living persons may be named.

Fields of study for the prize encompass all categories of scienceand technology, with two fields designated for the prize eachyear in consideration of developments in science and technology.
Each Japan Prize Laureate receives a certificate of merit and acommemorative medal. A cash award of 50 million yen is alsopresented for each prize field.

Field: Transformation towards a sustainable society
in harmony with nature
Achievement: Contribution towards a sustainable
world as founded in the 1972 Report
titled “The Limits to Growth”

Dr. Dennis L. MeadowsBorn : June 7, 1942 (Age 66)
Professor Emeritus of Systems Policy, University of New Hampshire
President, Laboratory for Interactive Learning

Summary

For humanity, the Earth is both irreplaceable and finite. The
continued survival of humanity on Earth depends on its success increating a "sustainable society." More than 30 years ago, Dr. Dennis
Meadows was at the center of a research group that used scientificanalysis to make this point. "The Limits to Growth" shocked theworld when first published in 1972, and it continues even today toilluminate the way forward.

37 year-old warning increasingly relevant today

In an era of depleting oil reserves and growing concern about
global warming, people today realize that, after all, the Earth is notunlimited, and that it is indeed finite. Efforts have also begun aroundthe world to create a sustainable society.
It was a research team led by Dr. Dennis Meadows—at the time
an associate professor of the Sloan School of Management at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology—that released this warning
37 years ago about the Earth’s limits, even in the midst of rapid
economic growth after World War II.
On request from the Club of Rome, a non-profit organization withan international membership that asked what would happen to the
future of the planet if the human beings continued its growth at thecurrent rate, Dr. Meadows and his team conducted an analysis using
the latest economic theory and simulation models. In 1972, the Clubof Rome released the resulting report, "The Limits to Growth."
The report’s message was an enormous shock to a world in the
midst of economic growth. It said that there are certain constraints
on the Earth's physical capacity—including resources, environment,
soil and so on—and if populations and economies were allowed tocontinue growing without restraint, humanity would face a crisis. It
also said that in order to mitigate these risks, it would be necessary
to aim at zero growth for population and the economy. Released
during a period that was even more growth-oriented than today, thereport had many detractors.
Nevertheless, reality has unfolded as Dr. Meadows and his teampredicted, with oil crises in 1973 and 1978, rapid global population
growth, the emergence of the problem global warming, and so on.
Indeed, the message of "The Limits to Growth" is still valid today forworldwide efforts to deal with global environmental problems.

World model predicted conditions 100 years hence

The Club of Rome is launched in 1970 by Dr. Aurelio Peccei (at thetime vice president of the Italian firm Olivetti), in order to address
global issues such as resources, population, military expansion andenvironmental destruction. Over the years it has released many
reports, but its first was “The Limits to Growth,” by Dr. Meadows andhis colleagues.

The Club of Rome created the “Human Risk Project” and asked
Dr. Meadows to lead research on this topic, for which he assembled
a research team with his late wife Donella and other young
researchers. They used systems dynamics theory to create aworld-scale computer model of economic activity—a simulation of
the world situation 100 years hence.
The report portrayed near-future scenarios based on five variables
that grew exponentially : population, food consumption,industrialization, environmental pollution and resource depletion.
The analysis showed that physical constraints would make it
impossible for growth to continue at the pace being experienced at
the time. In particular, economic growth from industrialization andworld population had a multiplier effect, resulting in negatives suchas pollution, resource depletion, hunger, and so on. The
pronouncement that the existing world system would eventually leadto catastrophe shocked people worldwide.
In other words, this was a “global crisis report” based on a worldmodel that used all the scientific data available at the time. Once thereport was released, in effect, the world began to test the model. In
Japan, a Tokyo office of the Club of Rome and a Japan Research
Team were established.

Evidence continues to growOne could say that the real world began to move faster than thesimulated world model. In October 1973, just a year after the reportcame out, the world was hit by an oil crisis triggered by the FourthArab-Islaeli War. In Japan, many people were unsettled when the
consumer price index rose by 23 percent in 1974.
Then global environmental problems began to surface. Efforts tobetter understand the desertification of agricultural land and forest
destruction caused by acid rain led to advances in the naturalsciences, which accelerated progress in analysis of the global
environment, then it became known the human economic activity
could cause global warming. The Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) was established in 1988, and it hascontinued to conduct scientific assessments to this day.
As the world continued to change, Dr. Meadows and hiscolleagues continued their work of verifying "The Limits toGrowth." Twenty years after their groundbreaking report, they
released their second work in 1992, titled "Beyond the Limits."
Using newly-compiled data, it showed that humanity had alreadyexceeded the Earth’s carrying capacity. With 14 scenarios,
Dr. Meadows’ team called for a transformation into a “sustainable
society.” Next came "Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update," in2004. In it, the authors added fresh data from the previous ten years.
They showed that since 1990 gross domestic product had declined in
54 countries, and that humanity was exceeding the Earth’s carrying
capacity by 20 percent in the year 2000.
With his conceptual foundations based on "The Limits toGrowth", for the past 37 years Dr. Meadows has consistently called
for the creation of a sustainable society. The reports never fail tooffer prescriptions for the transformation into a “sustainable
society.” The closing commentary of the original report says that
“Humanity should not lose hope in the future; the only way forward
is through international debate among statesmen, policymakers andscientists about the dangers and hopes of the future governmental
and human systems.” This message from Dr. Meadows and the Clubof Rome may well be their greatest contribution to the world.

Field: Technological integration of
medical science and engineering
Achievement: Contribution to tomographic imaging
in nuclear medicine

Dr. David E. Kuhl

Born: October 27, 1929 (Age 79)
Professor, Radiology, University of Michigan Medical School

Summary

Today various types of diagnostic imaging systems including CT(computed tomography) are used on a daily basis in hospitals andclinics all over the world. Dr. David Kuhl, one of the world pioneers
in tomography, began experimenting in the late 1950s by taking
cross-sectional images of the distribution of radioisotopes in the body.
He went on to develop SPECT (single photon emission computed
tomography) in the late 1960s and succeeded in producing the world’s
first tomographic images of the human body. In addition to having a
profound impact on the subsequent development of X-ray CT
scanning and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), Dr. Kuhl’s researchbrought about the realization of PET (positron emission tomography),which is proving to be invaluable in the early detection of cancers.

Success in the world’s first tomographic imaging

It was Roentgen’s discovery of the X-ray that first fulfilled the
dreams of medical practitioners who wanted to study in detail theinside of the human body without hurting the patient with the use of asurgical knife. Today X-ray imaging is still widely used in the diagnosis of bone and lung diseases but it was the development of computed
tomography (CT) from the late 1960s to 1970s that brought about
groundbreaking advances in diagnostic imaging technology. It was
this technology that made cross-sectional images of the body possible
and enabled more detailed investigation of internal organs.
Today in the field of medicine various medical diagnostic devices
are widely used in clinical applications such as X-ray CT scanning,magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography(PET), and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).
However, it was the development of SPECT by Dr. Kuhl that was at
the forefront of groundbreaking imaging technologies. Unlike X-ray
CT scanning, which produces tomographic images from the absorbed
amount of X-rays the body is exposed to externally, SPECT is adiagnostic system that produces images by picking up gamma
radiation emitted by a minute amount of a radioactive agent injected
into the body. By capturing the dynamic state of the agent inside thebody, SPECT reveals physical functions such as vascular flow and themetabolism of the internal organs.
In terms of achieving tomographic imaging of the human body,
SPECT developed by Dr. Kuhl predated X-ray CT scanning and his
research had a significant impact on the development of various
diagnostic imaging devices. Because of his achievements in this area,
Dr. Kuhl is known as the “Father of Emission Tomography.”

Accelerating the development of diagnostic imaging including CT
Born in 1929 in St. Louis in the eastern part of Missouri in the
United States, Dr. Kuhl was interested in chemical experiments fromthe time he was a child and during high school
earned recognition for his experiments using
radioisotopes. He went on to study at Temple
University’s Department of Physics but ended up
choosing the application of radioactive substancesin medicine as his final research topic.
Dr. Kuhl received his Doctor of Medicine
degree from the University of Pennsylvania in
1955, at the very time when nuclear medicine wasin its infancy. Three years later, in 1958, thescintillation camera was developed. This camera
produced images of the distribution of a radioactive agent injected into the body. However, Dr.
Kuhl was not satisfied with this technology. As acamera designed to observe two-dimensional
projections of a radioactive agent distributed
inside the body three-dimensionally, it was notable to provide quantitative data as to how muchagent existed inside the body and where.
To resolve this problem, a research group at the
University of Pennsylvania embarked on a world
first study of tomographic imaging of the distributionof radioisotopes within the body. Later proposed by
Dr. Kuhl in 1962, the imaging technique the group developed was basedon the principle of emission CT, which is to produce tomographic
images of the body through computer analyses of radiation dataobtained from all directions of the body over a 360-degree range (seediagram). Essentially, the computer at this time performs an enormous
series of matrix operations where one cross-section is divided into a
reticular pattern where the amount of radiation in each segment is set
as an unknown quantity. A simultaneous equation where the total ismade to equal the actual amount of radiation is then used.
In 1964 the research group developed the Mark II SPECT series,
which is a single photon emission computed tomography camera.
With this unit, the group succeeded in producing the world’s first
tomographic images of the human body. This achievement wasconsiderably earlier than Godfrey Hounsfield’s development of the
X-ray CT device in 1972.

Development as a device for observing physical functions

With his development of the Mark III in 1970 and the Mark IV
scanners in 1976, Dr. Kuhl opened up new possibilities in nuclear
medicine. X-ray CT later developed as a means of accurately
viewing the physical shape of organs while SPECT developed as atechnology for viewing the various functions of the body such as
vascular flow, metabolism, and neural transmission, among others.
Even today SPECT is widely used in hospitals and clinics.
At this time Dr. Kuhl and his team of researchers were also focusing their efforts on the practical application of PET. If the metabolism of glucose, the energy source supporting the body’s vital activities, could be captured, the imaging of various biological functions
would be possible. However, to make glucose emit nuclear
radiation, it would be necessary to label it using positrons rather
than radioisotopes, which were generally used at the time. That is
why this technique is referred to as “positron-emission tomography”
or PET, separate from SPECT.

Dr. Kuhl’s interest in the use of positron emitters began when Dr.
Sokoloff, who was researching animal brains at the National
Institute of Mental Health in the United States, used C-14, a
positron-emitting radionuclide, to successfully label 2deoxyglucose, a type of glucose, and measure its concentration
distribution through autoradiography. Following on from thissuccess, Dr. Kuhl’s group began joint research with Dr. Sokoloff,and Dr. Wolf from Brookhaven National Laboratory and later cameto the conclusion that FDG (18F-2-Deoxi-2-fluoro-D-glucose),which labeled F-18, was the most suitable positron emitter that canbe used with humans. In August 1976, FDG synthesized at
Brookhaven National Laboratory, was sent to the University ofPennsylvania where Dr. Kuhl’s group succeeded in realizing thefirst metabolic imaging of the human brain using a SPECT Mark IV
scanner.
The recent development of PET devices using FDG has beenproceeding at a rapid pace. This is because PET devices are proving
to be highly effective in the early detection of cancer. Glucose
metabolism in cancerous tissue is higher than in normal tissue. At
the same time, image fusion technology is advancing, and PET-CT,
a combination of PET and X-ray CT, is playing an important role inthe diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cancer and cranial
nerve disorders.
In these ways diagnostic imaging technologies are making asignificant contribution to progress in medical treatment. At theleading-edge of research, the development of various molecular
probes is currently underway and molecular imaging, which will
reveal the behavior of molecules in living bodies, is becoming areality. Imaging technologies are not only making a significant
contribution to progress in medicine today but are also expected tounravel the mysteries of life as they develop.

Members of the 2009 (25th)Japan Prize Selection Committee
FieldⅠ Transformation towards a sustainable society in harmony with nature

Committee Chairman

Panel Chairman

Deputy Panel Chairman

Nobuaki Kumagai

Yoichi Kaya

Itaru Yasui

President of Universityof Hyogo
Former President andProfessor Emeritus of
Osaka University

Director-General,
Research Institute of
Innovative Technology
for the Earth

Principal Fellow, Center for
Research and Development
Strategy, Japan Science &Technology Agency

Keiko Nakamura

Director General, JT Biohistory Research Hall

Kazuhiko Takeuchi

Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life
Sciences, The University of Tokyo

Kazuhiro Ueta

Professor, Graduate School of Economics and Schoolof Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University

Izumi Washitani

Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life
Sciences, The University of Tokyo

FieldⅡ Technological integration of medical science and engineering

Panel Chairman

Deputy Panel Chairman

Ichiro Kanazawa

Fumihiko Kajiya

President, the Science
Council of Japan

Vice - President, Kawasaki
University of Medical Welfare

Ung-il Chung

Professor, Graduate School of Engineering,
The University of Tokyo

Eiji Kobayashi

Professor, Jichi Medical University

Ryozo Nagai

Professor, Graduate School of Medicine,
The University of Tokyo

Gozoh Tsujimoto

Professor, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Kyoto University

Tetsuya Yagi

Professor, Graduate School of Engineering,Osaka University

Fields Selected for the 2010 (26th) Japan Prize(Title when serving on the committee)

Area of StudiesⅠ: mathematics, physics, chemistry, and engineering

Fields eligible for the award: Industrial Production and Production Technology

Background and rationale:

Since the industrial revolution, the remarkable development ofscience and technology has significantly improved people’s standardof living, thereby realizing the creation of a prosperous society notseen before in the history of mankind. Nevertheless, there are still
many people in the world who have not reaped the benefits of thisprosperity and it has also become clear that we must take into
account the fragility of the earth’s environment in our pursuit ofscience and technology. In view of these circumstances, we must
continue to strive for further innovation in production technology forthe truly prosperous future of mankind.

Achievement eligible:

The 2010 Japan Prize will be awarded to honor achievement thatbrings about remarkable progress in science and technology in thefield of industrial production and production technology and thatmakes an outstanding contribution to society by improving the safety
or convenience of the lives of people or by overcoming poverty
through the creation of new products or industries, or improvement inproductivity.

Area of Studies Ⅱ: biology, agriculture, and medicine

Fields eligible for the award: Biological Production and Environment
Background and rationale:

The existence of mankind has depended on the earth’s biologicalresources in various forms in the past and will continue to do so.
However, the earth’s environment which supports our biologicalresources has been rapidly deteriorating. Furthermore, while innovations in technology have dramatically increased our capacity to
produce food, the world population has been growing at an explosive
rate and is surpassing the growth of the production capacity. In addition to protecting the environment and ensuring biodiversity, sustainable production is essential.

Achievement eligible:

The 2010 Japan Prize will be awarded to honor achievement thatbrings about remarkable progress in science and technology in thefield of biological production and environment and that makes an
outstanding contribution to society in the following ways: improving
the everyday life of people, overcoming poverty by significantly
increasing food production or improving food production efficiency,
maintaining biodiversity, or realizing a pleasant living environment.

Members of Fields Selection Committee
Kazuhito Hashimoto

Hiroshi Kuwahara

Professor, Graduate School of Engineering,
The University of Tokyo

Senior Corporate Adviser, Hitachi, Ltd.

Yoshihiro Hayashi
Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural andLife Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Committee Chairman

Vice Committee Chairman

Yoshio Yazaki

Katsuhiko Shirai

President, National
Hospital Organization

President, Waseda
University

Yoshio Karita
Former Grand Master of the Ceremonies,
The Imperial Household Agency

Nobuhide Kasagi
Professor, Graduate School of Engineering,
The University of Tokyo

Tsutomu Kimura
President, National Institution for Academic
Degrees and University Evaluation

Hiroshi Komiyama
President, The University of Tokyo

Hideo Miyahara
President, National Institute of Information andCommunications Technology

Kenichi Mori
Professor, Graduate School of Management of Scienceand Technology, Tokyo University of Science

Noriko Osumi
Professor, Graduate School of Medicine,
Tohoku University

Masakatsu Shibasaki
Professor, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, The University of Tokyo

Atsuko Tsuji
Editorial writer, The Asahi Shimbun(Title when serving on the committee)

TOPIC : Japanese Students Attend the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony
In 1987, the Science and Technology Foundationof Japan instituted a program which began sending
two Japanese students to the annual StockholmInternational Youth Science Seminar (SIYSS). The
event is held during Nobel Prize Week as a meansof promoting the international exchange of young
scientists, and is conducted under the auspices of theSwedish Federation of Young Scientists and withthe support of the Nobel Foundation.
The Science and Technology Foundation of Japansent Ms. Mai Matsushita of Kobe University and
Mr. Tomoyasu Mani of The University of Texas tothe 2008 SIYSS. Their report follows:

At The Nobel Committee Reception, second from left Prof.
Horvitz (2002 Physiology Laureate) , Mani and Matsushita on Dec. 9. 2008

As the Japanese contribution to scientific researchcontinues Japanese scientists shared the Nobel
Prizes in Physics and Chemistry. Our participationin 2008 Stockholm International Youth Science
Seminar (SIYSS), as delegates of Japan, has had aprofound impact on our vision towards the future.
Mani and Matsushita together with
Mani at SIYSS Seminar
2008 Laureates in physics,
In physics, the laureates emphasized the "uniqueProf. Maskawa and Prof. Kobayashi
contributions" made by other domestic researchers.
The densely interconnected Japan of the early post-war years was different from the globalized nation of thepresent. The laureates also emphasized the importance of remaining confident and loyal to one one's theory. On
the other hand, in medicine, the alternative approaches distinguished the laureates from their competitors. In theircompetitive research field, they were collaborating with other researchers abroad while at the same time competingwith others domestically. In chemistry, the laureates refined their values as pioneers. Their discoveries opened newhorizons in contemporary bioscience, establishing a powerful tool for researchers.
Although their vision of science may differ, all the laureates defined the meaning of a pioneers. To keep an
open vision going beyond one one's own research-and to continually challenge one one's own theoretical modelwith confidence and loyalty - builds the foundations of a pioneer in scientific research. Furthermore, the scientificenvironment is a significant factor for research. We were advised to search for enthusiastic and supportive mentors,
colleagues and collaborators.
We express our sincere gratitude to The Science and Technology Foundation of Japan for providing us with theopportunity to participate in the 2008 SIYSS. This valuable experience offered an inspiration going beyond theNobel Prize, which we hope to exploit for our future as prospective researchers, making this honorable occasion
not just a once in a lifetime event.

08

SIYSS participants form 16 countries attended the 2008 SIYSS