Toshikazu HiraoToshikazu Hirao graduated in 1973 from Kyoto University, where he obtained his doctorate in 1978. He became Assistant Professor at Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University and was a postdoctoral fellow at The University of Wisconsin with Profssor Barry M. Trost (1981-1982). Dr. Hirao was promoted to Associate Professor in 1992 and Professor in 1994. After retirement in 2015, he became Specially Appointed Professor at The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University. He has been involved in the development of synthetic methodology and received the Chemical Society of Japan Award for Young Chemists in 1984. Dr. Hirao's current research interests lie in the area of the construction of an efficient system for electron transfer, which allows the development of new methods in organic synthesis, and novel redox-active systems consisting of transition metal complexes and p-conjugated polymers or oligomers including p bowls (sumanene and its derivatives). These areas of research are correlated to the development of bioorganometallic conjugates. He received the Vanadius Award and the Award for Outstanding Achievements in Bioorganometallic Chemistry in 2008. He was director and vice-president of the Chemical Society of Japan. Read More Read Less