President of Phytochemical Society of Asia (PSA)

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    Prof. Dr DHC Yoshinori Asakawa first studied biology at the Tokushima University, and then went to graduate school at Hiroshima University in 1964 and studied organic chemistry and obtained his PhD degree there and was appointed as a research assistant. (1972-1975). Then went as a postdoc.to the Université Louis Pasteur, France where he worked for two years (1972-1974) with Prof. Guy Ourisson. In 1976 he moved to Tokushima Bunri University as an associate professor and was promoted to full professor in 1981. He served twice as Dean, and since1986, Director of the Institute of Pharmacology. He is the former Editor of Phytomedicine and Spectroscopy and serves on the editorial boards of Journal of Natural Products, Phytochemistry, Phytochemistry Letters, Phytomedicine, Planta Medica, Fitoterapia, Natural Product Research, Natural Product Communications, Flavour & Fragrance Journal, among others. He is the president of Phytochemical Society of Asia (PSA) and Chemistry of Terpenes, Essential Oils, and Aromatics (TEAC) and permanent committee member of ISEO. His research interests are bioactive secondary metabolites of medicinal plants and insects; biotransformation of secondary metabolites by fungi and mammals. Prof. Asakawa has published, up to now, 700 original papers, 14 reviews and 44 books (Handbook of Dietary Phytomedicines, Handbook of Essential Oils, Prog Org Nat. Prod. vol. 42, 65, and 95 etc). . 

    For his outstanding research, he was awarded the Hedwig Medal, the International prize of Phytochemistry, Jack Cannon Gold Medal, International Symposium of Essential Oils Award, Gusi International Peace Prize, Gerald Blunden Award, Japanese Society of Pharmacognosy Prize, Gold medal and Doctor Honoris Causa from Lublin Medical University, Poland, Polish Ambassador of Pharmacy and the Fellow of The National Society of Ethnopharmacology, India and the honorary membership of Turkish Academy of Science.  Over the years, he was invited as the opening, special and invited lecturers from 52 countries and he invited 57 post docs and 30 post graduate students from various countries into his laboratory and organized international symposia for 8 times in his university as the chairperson.