# Susumu Tonegawa

_Japanese biologist, neuroscientist (1939–2026)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/susumu-tonegawa
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Susumu Tonegawa  was a Japanese scientist who was the sole recipient of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1987 for his discovery of V(D)J recombination, the genetic mechanism which produces antibody diversity. Although he won the Nobel Prize for his work in immunology, Tonegawa was a molecular biologist by training and, following his Nobel Prize win, changed fields to neuroscience, examining the molecular, cellular and neuronal basis of memory formation and retrieval.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 5 September 1939 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108602#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Nagoya ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108602#P19))
- **Died:** 11 July 2026 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108602#P570))
- **Place of death:** San Mateo ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108602#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Japan ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108602#P27))
- **Occupation:** molecular biologist; immunologist; neuroscientist; professor; scientist; physician ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108602#P106))
- **Education:** Kyoto University; Hibiya High School; University of California, San Diego ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108602#P69))
- **Awards:** Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research; Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize; Canada Gairdner International Award; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; Order of Culture; German Immunology Prize; EMBO Membership; Shincho Gakugei Literature Prize; Person of Cultural Merit; Cloëtta Prize; Asahi Prize; Robert Koch Prize; Bristol-Myers Squibb Award for Distinguished Achievement in Cancer Research; honorary doctorate of the University of Alcala; Gold medal of the Spanish National Research Council ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108602#P166))

## Questions

**When was Susumu Tonegawa born?**  
Susumu Tonegawa was born on 5 September 1939 in Nagoya.

**Where did Susumu Tonegawa study?**  
Susumu Tonegawa was educated at Kyoto University, Hibiya High School, University of California, San Diego.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Susumu Tonegawa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susumu_Tonegawa) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q108602](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108602) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Susumu Tonegawa Photo.jpg by User9131986 A cropped version (CC BY-SA 4.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Susumu_Tonegawa_Photo.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Susumu Tonegawa, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Susumu Tonegawa Photo.jpg — User9131986 A cropped version, CC BY-SA 4.0.

## Cite this page

"Susumu Tonegawa". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/susumu-tonegawa. Retrieved 15 November 2026.