Hiroaki Suga is a distinguished Japanese biochemist renowned for his pioneering contributions to chemical biology and bioorganic chemistry. Currently serving as Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, he has established himself as a leader in the field of RNA-based technologies and peptide therapeutics. Suga received his Bachelor of Engineering (1986) and Master of Engineering (1989) from Okayama University before earning his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994. Following three years of postdoctoral research at Massachusetts General Hospital under Jack Szostak, he began his independent career as Assistant Professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1997, where he was promoted to tenured Associate Professor in 2002 before moving to the University of Tokyo in 2003.
Professor Suga is best known for his development of the flexizyme system, an artificial ribozyme technology that enables the incorporation of non-standard amino acids into peptides, thereby dramatically expanding the chemical diversity of ribosomally synthesized compounds. His groundbreaking work culminated in the creation of the RaPID (Random non-standard Peptides Integrated Discovery) platform, which has revolutionized the field of macrocyclic peptide discovery for therapeutic applications. This innovative technology has facilitated the identification of novel bioactive compounds targeting previously undruggable proteins, with significant implications for pharmaceutical development. In recognition of these transformative contributions, Suga was awarded the 2023 Wolf Prize in Chemistry alongside Chuan He and Jeffery W. Kelly for pioneering discoveries relating to RNA-based catalysts and their impact on the discovery of bioactive peptides.
Beyond his academic research, Suga has successfully translated his scientific innovations into practical applications through the founding of PeptiDream Inc. in 2005, a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company that has established numerous partnerships with major pharmaceutical firms worldwide. His leadership extends to editorial roles as Chair of the editorial board at RSC Chemical Biology and Associate Editor at Angewandte Chemie, where he shapes the direction of chemical biology research globally. Professor Suga has received numerous prestigious honors including the Akabori Memorial Award (2014), Max-Bergmann Gold Medal (2016), Vincent du Vigneaud Award (2019), and the Japan Academy Prize (2024), underscoring his sustained impact on the field. His continued research focuses on advancing the frontiers of peptide therapeutics and exploring new applications of RNA-based technologies to address unmet medical needs.
