Akihiko Kondo BS, MD, PhD

Professor Kondo got his PhD in Chemical Engineering at Kyoto University in 1988. He started his academic career at the Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan as an associate professor. He moved to Kobe University in 1995 and became a full professor in 2003. Professor Kondo has developed cell surface engineering and synthetic bioengineering as core technology, and has promoted extensive research.

In 2007, Kobe University established its Biorefinery Center with Professor Kondo as director, and, since 2012, he has been a team leader in the Biomass Engineering Program at RIKEN. He also launched the project ‘Innovative BioProduction Kobe’ as vice director, which is supported by Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology, Creation of Innovation Centers for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research Areas, MEXT, Japan. In 2010, Professor Kondo was appointed as an Editor of the Journal of Biotechnology.