Awards & Winners

Motoo Kimura

Date of Birth 13-November-1924
Place of Birth Okazaki
(Japan, Aichi Prefecture, Chūbu region)
Nationality Japan
Profession Scientist
Motoo Kimura was a Japanese biologist best known for introducing the neutral theory of molecular evolution in 1968. He became one of the most influential theoretical population geneticists. He is remembered in genetics for his innovative use of diffusion equations to calculate the probability of fixation of beneficial, deleterious, or neutral alleles. Combining theoretical population genetics with molecular evolution data, he also developed the neutral theory of molecular evolution in which genetic drift is the main force changing allele frequencies. James F. Crow, himself a renowned population geneticist, considered Kimura to be one of the two greatest evolutionary geneticists, along with Gustave Malécot, after the great trio of the modern synthesis.

Awards by Motoo Kimura

Check all the awards nominated and won by Motoo Kimura.

1988


International Prize for Biology
(Population Biology)

1987


John J. Carty Award for the Advancement of Science
(Evolutionary biology. By demonstrating the role of stochastic processes in inducing and maintaining most allelic diveristy in nature, he has unified molecular biology with evolutionary theory, thereby strengthening both fields.)