Shimon Sakaguchi

Professor Sakaguchi is an immunologist and a Distinguished Professor of Osaka University. He is best known for the discovery of regulatory T cells and for the description of their role in the immune system. This discovery can be used to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases. Professor Sakaguchi studies the molecular and cellular mechanisms of immunological tolerance and immune regulation. He has shown that a population of immunosuppressive T-lymphocytes, designated regulatory T cells, are present in the immune system and its deficiency or dysfunction is causative of a variety of immunological disorders including autoimmune diseases. He has investigated the molecular basis of regulatory T cell development and function. In addition, Professor Sakaguchi and his laboratory have demonstrated that numerical expansion of regulatory T cells or strengthening of their suppressive activity is capable of preventing and treating autoimmune diseases and also establishing stable tolerance to transplanted organs, while their reduction in number or suppressive activity is able to provoke effective immunity against cancer. Professor Sakaguchi is currently investigating how regulatory T cells can be targeted in humans to control a variety of physiological and pathological immune responses in the clinical settings.