Immunologist Shimon Sakaguchi, one of the 2015 recipients of Canada's most prestigious medical research awards, has attributed the achievement to his endless commitment to fighting disease.
"When conducting experiments, I always remember that my task is to discover ways to contain diseases," said the 64-year-old Osaka University professor.
Sakaguchi was selected in March for this year's Gairdner International Award, considered to be an indicator of future Nobel Prize winners, for his discovery of "regulatory T cells," or Treg cells, which act as a check to prevent excessive immune reactions.