Lecturer, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo

Chemistry is more than a boring course, memorizing odd facts, or worrying about your math skills. Chemistry ties into everything – including life. In fact, life’s many processes require metals. This is because metals combine with organic molecules and influence their structure and function.

Fifteen years ago, metals combining with organics was not a hot topic. Masanobu Uchiyama changed this fact.

Imagine Masanobu Uchiyama being told his grandmother had only a week to live because “pharmaceutical companies are reluctant to create new drugs for which there are few patients because it is not profitable.” Did he sit and complain? No. Masanobu Uchiyama changed the world through his studies of metals.

Read more about Masanobu Uchiyama. Imagine your own world – and figure out how to improve it. Imagine if you could turn your pain into saving lives.