UC Irvine memory scientist awarded prestigious Inoue Prize
Researcher recognized for outstanding achievement in understanding memory and dementia
February 12, 2025
UC Irvine School of Medicine neurobiologist Kei Igarashi, left, receives the 41st Inoue Prize for Science from Inoue Foundation President Atsushi Koma in Tokyo.
Photo courtesy of the Inoue Foundation
Irvine, Calif. — Kei Igarashi, Chancellor’s Fellow and associate professor of anatomy and neurobiology at the University of California, Irvine, has been named one of five recipients of the prestigious 41st Inoue Prize for Science.
Presented to researchers under age 50 who have made significant achievements in basic natural science research, the award recognizes the UC Irvine School of Medicine researcher for his discoveries of the brain mechanisms governing object memory and their deterioration in dementia.
“I am very honored to receive this esteemed award on behalf of myself and my lab members,” Igarashi said.
“In particular, I would like to thank UC Irvine alumnus and member of my lab, Dr. Heechul Jun, who is currently a research-track psychiatry resident at New York University. Even after completing his PhD in my lab for his MD-PhD program, he continued conducting experiments every day between 4 and 7 a.m. before heading over to UCI Medical Center. I am incredibly proud of all my lab members and their tireless passion for science.”
Igarashi’s most recent breakthrough came in 2024, when he identified the neurons responsible for “item memory,” providing critical insights into how the brain encodes and retrieves information about past experiences. This discovery deepened scientific understanding of how memories are formed and retrieved, offering new hope for treating Alzheimer’s disease.
The Inoue Foundation for Science announced the five recipients of its 2024 prize on Dec. 17, 2024. Toshiko Abe, Japan’s minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology, presented the awards — along with a gold medal and 2 million yen — on Feb. 5 at a ceremony in Tokyo.
In 2023, Igarashi was awarded the Japan Academy Medal for his groundbreaking research on the neural circuit mechanisms of associative memory and their vulnerability to Alzheimer’s disease.
“In my lab, we delve into the intricate neural circuitry and the process by which we link related experiences together — and how Alzheimer’s disease disrupts these connections, leading to memory impairment,” Igarashi said. “By uncovering potential targets for therapeutic intervention, our findings . . . pave the way for future treatments for Alzheimer’s and other memory-related disorders.”
The other Inoue Prize recipients were Shigeyoshi Inoue, professor of silicon chemistry at the Technical University of Munich;Takahiro Sagawa, professor of applied physics at the University of Tokyo; Mizuki Tada, professor of chemistry at Nagoya University; and Eriko Nango, professor of molecular and chemical life sciences at Tohoku University.
Established in 1984, the Inoue Foundation for Science supports scientific research by providing grants and awards to investigators in various scientific fields. It is known for its contributions to the advancement of science and technology in Japan, particularly through the Inoue Prize for Science and the Inoue Research Award for Young Scientists, which recognize outstanding achievements in the natural sciences.
About UC Irvine’s Brilliant Future campaign: Publicly launched on Oct. 4, 2019, the Brilliant Future campaign aims to raise awareness and support for UC Irvine. By engaging 75,000 alumni and garnering $2 billion in philanthropic investment, UC Irvine seeks to reach new heights of excellence in student success, health and wellness, research and more. The School of Medicine plays a vital role in the success of the campaign. Learn more at https://brilliantfuture.uci.edu/uci-school-of-medicine.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. Learn more about UC Irvine at www.uci.edu
