Kyoto Prize at Oxford: Azim Surani: The Hidden Logic of the Genome

Why It Matters

Understanding how parental genomes are epigenetically programmed reshapes disease prevention, informs regulatory frameworks, and fuels biotech innovation, making it a cornerstone for future health policy.

Key Takeaways

• Genomic imprinting shows parental genomes have distinct functional roles.
• Paternal genome drives placental development; maternal genome drives embryo growth.
• Imprinting control regions use DNA methylation to regulate gene expression.
• Epigenetic insights link environment, diet, stress to lifelong health outcomes.
• Understanding imprinting informs preventive medicine and evidence‑based policy.

Summary

The Oxford‑hosted Kyoto Prize ceremony featured a talk by developmental biologist Professor Azim Surani, who was honored for uncovering the “hidden logic” of the genome through his work on genomic imprinting. The event, organized by the Inamori Foundation and Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, highlighted how breakthroughs in basic science can shape well‑governed societies.

Surani explained that, contrary to Mendelian expectations, the maternal and paternal copies of the same genome are not functionally equivalent in mammals. His landmark experiment created three sets of embryos—maternal‑only, paternal‑only, and mixed—and found that only the mixed embryos developed, revealing that the paternal genome is essential for placental formation while the maternal genome drives embryonic growth. Subsequent molecular work identified imprinting control regions on chromosome 7, where DNA methylation marks on the paternal allele activate IGF‑2, whereas the maternal allele is bound by CTCF, silencing IGF‑2 and expressing H19.

Surani traced his curiosity back to his childhood on Lake Victoria and his early mentorship under Robert Edwards, the IVF pioneer. He recalled, “You have to find the question and then ask why it matters,” emphasizing the serendipitous nature of his discovery. The collaboration with his assistant Sheila Barton and the parallel work of Jim McGrath were pivotal in confirming the imprinting phenomenon.

The elucidation of genomic imprinting bridges genetics and environment, offering biomarkers for early disease detection and new avenues for preventive medicine. Policymakers can leverage these insights to craft evidence‑based health strategies, while biotech firms see opportunities for epigenetic therapeutics, underscoring the broader societal value of fundamental research.

Original Description

Azim Surani is the 2025 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Basic Sciences. He demonstrated that both paternal and maternal genomes are indispensable for normal mammalian development and subsequently discovered genomic imprinting that confers specific modifications and complementary functions to each genome. Furthermore, he has played a pioneering role in elucidating its underlying mechanisms, thereby making contributions to foundational scientific insights across a broad spectrum of life science fields.

Azim Surani’s lecture is introduced by Anna Petherick, Associate Professor in Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government. The lecture is followed by a Q&A moderated by Professor Dame Amanda Fisher, Whitley Chair of Biochemistry at the Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford.

Kyoto Prize at Oxford – https://www.kyotoprize.ox.ac.uk

Blavatnik School of Government,

University of Oxford

http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/