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06/26/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/26/2026 16:10

Marine Microbiologist Farooq Azam Receives Kyoto Prize

Published Date

June 26, 2026

Article Content

University of California San Diego marine microbiologist and Distinguished Professor Emeritus Farooq Azam has been selected as the 2026 Kyoto Prize laureate in Basic Sciences. Azam is widely recognized for his discovery of the "microbial loop," a foundational concept that transformed scientific understanding of the ocean's role in sustaining life and regulating the planet.

The Kyoto Prize is Japan's highest private award for global achievement, presented annually by the Inamori Foundation in the categories of Advanced Technology, Basic Sciences, and Arts and Philosophy.

Farooq Azam

"UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography is home to one of the world's leading marine science programs, and Farooq Azam's pioneering research on the microbial loop is a powerful example of that legacy," said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. "We are proud to see his lifetime of scholarship recognized with the Kyoto Prize, one of the world's most prestigious honors, and we celebrate the enduring impact of his work on marine biology, oceanography and global biogeochemistry."

Azam proposed the microbial loop concept in 1983 based on his findings that dissolved organic carbon, previously assumed to be lost from the marine food web, is instead recycled by bacteria and protists. The discovery revealed the vital role of microorganisms in global biogeochemical cycles, especially the carbon cycle, and led to significant advancements in marine ecology and biogeochemistry.

By demonstrating that microscopic marine life helps keep ocean ecosystems functioning and influences how carbon moves through Earth's environment, Azam's work deepened scientific understanding of both ocean health and climate processes.

"It is incredibly inspiring to see Farooq Azam's lifetime of contributions to marine microbiology recognized on such a prestigious global stage," said Meenakshi Wadhwa, vice chancellor for marine sciences at UC San Diego and director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography. "Azam's discovery of the microbial loop has had a profound impact on marine ecology and oceanography, and we are honored to count him among our distinguished faculty at UC San Diego."

Azam continues to advance research at the interface of marine microbiology and biogeochemistry. He served as a co-principal investigator of the Scripps Ocean-Atmosphere Research Simulator, or SOARS, which enables researchers to study the complex chemical, biological and physical processes that occur where the ocean meets the atmosphere.

The instrument combines a wave tank with a wind tunnel along a 36-meter-long channel built into the Hydraulics Lab at Scripps. With a wave generator, light tubes, and heating and cooling systems - and Pacific Ocean seawater from nearby Scripps Pier - the instrument can emulate ocean surface conditions ranging from the tropics to the poles, making it uniquely capable of simulating Earth's rapidly changing ocean-atmosphere system. For this ground-breaking simulator, which opened in 2022, Azam advised on biological aspects of the instrument, overseeing the materials to prevent the chance of contamination.

"Farooq taught us all about the importance of bacteria in producing organic species emitted into the ocean and ultimately sea spray aerosols," said Kimberly Prather, distinguished professor of atmospheric chemistry at UC San Diego and fellow co-principal investigator of SOARS. "Without Farooq's guidance, SOARS would never have been successful as a true ocean simulator because the proper microbial community would never have grown as it operates."

Azam's previous honors include the G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award from the American Society for Limnology and Oceanography, Tiedje Award from the International Society for Microbial Ecology, D.C. White Research and Mentoring Award from the American Society for Microbiology, and Doctor of Philosophy honoris causa from Linnaeus University, Sweden. In 2004, he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.

In addition to Azam, other laureates of the 2026 Kyoto Prizes include chemist Tsutomu Miyasaka, in Advanced Technology for his development of perovskite solar cells; and multimedia artist Laurie Anderson, in Arts and Philosophy for her lifelong contributions to experimental music and the performing arts. Azam is only the second UC San Diego faculty member to receive the prize, following oceanographer Walter Munk, who received the honor in 1999.

Each laureate will receive a diploma, a 20-karat gold medal, and a monetary award of 100 million yen (more than US$600,000) during the 41st annual Kyoto Prize ceremony, on Nov. 10 in Kyoto, Japan. The laureates will later convene for the 26th annual Kyoto Prize Symposium at UC San Diego in March 2027, and the Kyoto Prize at Oxford events in Oxford, UK, in May 2027.

About the Inamori Foundation and the Kyoto Prize

The Kyoto Prize is an international award bestowed by the non-profit Inamori Foundation to honor those who have contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural, and spiritual betterment of humankind. The Foundation was established in 1984 by the late Dr. Kazuo Inamori, who served as founder and chairman of Kyocera Corporation; founder and honorary adviser to KDDI Corporation; and chairman and honorary adviser to Japan Airlines. Inamori created the Kyoto Prize in line with his belief that a human being has no higher calling than to strive for the greater good of humanity and the world, and that the future of humanity can be assured only through a balance of scientific progress and spiritual depth.

Counting the 2026 recipients, the Kyoto Prize has honored 130 laureates worldwide - 129 individuals and one group (the Nobel Foundation). Individual laureates range from scientists, engineers and researchers to philosophers, painters, architects, sculptors, musicians and film directors. For more information, see: https://www.kyotoprize.org/en.

Azam is a co-principal investigator of the Scripps Ocean-Atmosphere Research Simulator, or SOARS, pictured here, which enables researchers to study the complex chemical, biological and physical processes that occur where the ocean meets the atmosphere.
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