[Obituary] Professor Koichi Suzuki

抄録

[Obituary] Professor Koichi Suzuki

Koichi Suzuki, a prominent entomologist, an Emeritus Professor of Iwate University, Japan, a member of Editorial Advisory Board of the journal, International Journal of Wild Silkmoth and Silk, since 1994 died on Saturday, January 15th, 2022 at the age of 75. He was a pioneering researcher in the field of insect diapause. In 1986 he developed a method of breaking diapause in the wild silkmoth, Antheraea yamamai using KK-42. Recently, he searched active substances in the winter insect summer grass, isolated ‘Naturido’, determined its chemical structure and published a paper in 2021 which proposed as a modulator of glia-neuron interactions. He worked as a fellow of BioCocoon Co. Ltd. to utilize academic research achievement for human welfare.

Professor Suzuki studied in graduate school at Nagoya University, in the master course and a part of Ph.D. course, Faculty of Agriculture, Laboratory of Sericulture. I was in the same laboratory, two grades younger than Professor Suzuki. He advised me in several occasions. Later he worked at the University of Arizona, Tucson, USA as a postdoctoral fellow in the Laboratory of Dr. Bowers. I had worked at the University of Arizona earlier, from 1985 to 1986, in the Laboratory of Dr. John H. Law. We were alumnus in Japan and USA. I believe Professor Suzuki visited Arizona Sonora Desert Museum in the suburb of Tucson to see huge cacti all over the hills and enjoyed barbecue in hot weather of Arizona.

In 2006, Professor Suzuki summarized his studies of 20 years on diapause in wild silkmoths in Sanshi-Konchu Biotech. I highly regard his great efforts for elucidating the molecular mechanisms. He must have felt much stress. The difficulties in advancing the studies must have come from the degree of advancement of biology at the time. Professor Suzuki always thought of the application of achievement in fundamental study to human welfare. He could find ‘Naturido’ through his studies and I suppose he was happy. I thank Professor Suzuki. He kindly advised me to advance the study of fibroinase of silk gland around 1994 when I was wondering if I should go to the purification of it. He advised me to publish good papers in the Journal of Insect Biotechnology and Sericology, a journal published by The Japanese Society of Sericultural Science, possibly because he was a member of the Editorial Board.

My deepest sympathies. I pray that he rests in peace.

Motoyuki Sumida
Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham 44150, Thailand