Akira Isogai


Akira Isogai is a Japanese academician, wood scientist and senior biomaterials researcher. He is also an elected fellow of the The [International Academy of Wood Science|International Academy of Wood Science], reflecting his international recognition in wood and cellulose science.
Isogai is also an elected fellow of the Japan Academy, and has been a chaired professor at the University of Tokyo, making a number of contributions to sustainable material science through his work on plant cellulose and bio-nanofibers.

Early life and education

Isogai was born in 1954 in Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, where he grew up. He graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Tokyo in 1980 and received his PhD in 1985 from the same institution with a dissertation on the preparation and characterization of substituted cellulose ethers.
After completing his doctorate studies, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of Paper Chemistry in Appleton, Wisconsin, US.

Research career

Isogai joined the University of Tokyo as an assistant professor in 1986, was promoted to associate professor in 1994, and became a full professor in the Department of Biomaterial Sciences in 2003. He has held leadership roles in scientific societies, including the presidency of the Cellulose Society of Japan and positions in the Japan Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Industry.
Isogai's research focuses on the structural characterization and applications of cellulose and cellulose nanofibers, including the development of TEMPO-mediated oxidation methods to improve CNF production efficiency and expand industrial uses. His work has contributed to the understanding of plant cellulose structures and supported sustainable material innovation.
For his yearlong work, in 2016, Isogai received the Honda Prize for his research on the high-efficiency cellulose nanofiber production methods and their applications. He has also received international awards, such as the Marcus Wallenberg Prize, and the Anselme Payen Award.
Until January 2026, Isogai has published more than 500 original research papers, which have gathered more than 37,000 citations at Scopus.

Particular contributions