Michiyo Tsujimura – Japanese Agricultural Scientist

Michiyo Tsujimura was a Japanese agricultural scientist and biochemist who was known for her research in the field of green tea. Born on September 17, 1888 in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, she dedicated her career to the study of green tea and its biochemical properties. Throughout her career, Tsujimura was recognized for her innovative approach to green tea research, and her commitment to advancing the field.

Michiyo Tsujimura - Japanese Agricultural Scientist

Background

Throughout her career, Tsujimura conducted research on the biochemical properties of green tea, focusing on the study of its chemical composition and its potential health benefits. Her work was groundbreaking and helped to establish green tea as a valuable source of nutrients and antioxidants. In recognition of her contributions to the field, she was awarded a Japan Prize in Agricultural Science in 1956, which is one of the highest honors in the field of agriculture.

Tsujimura’s legacy continues to inspire and inform new generations of green tea researchers, and her work has helped to establish green tea as a valuable source of nutrients and antioxidants. She was a professor emeritus and a true pioneer in her field, whose work will continue to be remembered and celebrated for years to come.

About

Full Name: Michiyo Tsujimura
Name: Michiyo
Date of Birth: 17th September 1888
Age: (at time of death) 81
Date of death: 1st June 1969
Occupation: Agricultural Scientist, Biochemist
Nationality: Japanese
Education: University of Tokyo, Degree in Agriculture
Occupation: Agricultural scientist and biochemist
Research: Green tea
Specialization: Plant breeding and improvement
Qualification: Profession [Ph.D holder]

Early life

Michiyo Tsujimura was born in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan on September 17, 1888. Not much is known about her early life, including her family background and education. However, it is evident that she had a passion for science and agriculture from a young age, and she went on to dedicate her career to the study of green tea and its biochemical properties.

Despite the limited information available on her early life and background, Tsujimura’s career and contributions to the field of green tea research speak to her dedication and expertise. Throughout her career, she made significant contributions to the study of green tea, helping to establish it as a valuable source of nutrients and antioxidants. Her work paved the way for future generations of researchers in the field, and her legacy continues to inspire and inform new work in the area of green tea research.

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Education

Michiyo Tsujimura was the first female in Japanese history to acquire a doctorate in agriculture.

Michiyo Tsujimura began her education at the Tokyo Prefecture Women’s Normal School, then transferred to the division of Biochemical Science at Tokyo Women’s Higher Normal School, where she graduated in 1909 under the mentorship of a biologist, Kono Yaui, who inspired her to pursue a career in scientific research.

Michiyo Tsujimura Japanese Agricultural Scientist 2

Michiyo Tsujimura completed her education in 1913 and began her teaching career at the Yokohama High School for Women in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Career

Michiyo Tsujimura was a highly respected and accomplished agricultural scientist and biochemist. Throughout her career, she made significant contributions to the field and was recognized for her expertise and innovative approach to research. She held a professorship in her field and was later honored as a professor emeritus, reflecting the esteem in which she was held by her colleagues and the broader scientific community.

Tsujimura was a dedicated and accomplished researcher, and her work helped to advance the field of agricultural science and biochemistry. She conducted pioneering research in her field and made important discoveries that helped to expand our understanding of the natural world. Her expertise and innovative approach to research were widely recognized, and she received numerous awards and honors throughout her career, including a prestigious Japan Prize in Agricultural Science.

Tsujimura’s work had a lasting impact on the field of agricultural science and biochemistry, and she remains a highly respected and influential figure in her field. Her commitment to advancing her field and her innovative approach to research continue to inspire and inform new generations of researchers, and her legacy continues to be celebrated and remembered by her colleagues and the broader scientific community.

Michiyo Tsujimura joined Hokkaido Imperial University in 1920 as a lab assistant in an unpaid position at the Food Nutritional Laboratory University’s Agricultural Chemistry Department because the university did not admit female students at the time, after having taught for three years in Saitama Women’s Normal School.

Michiyo Tsujimura’s research was centered around the nutritional content of silkworms. In 1922, she was transferred from the Food and Nutrition Laboratory at the University’s Agricultural Chemistry Department to the Medical Chemical Laboratory at the Medical College of the Tokyo Imperial University.

Michiyo Tsujimura Japanese Agricultural Scientist 3

However, the Great Kantō earthquake in September 1923 resulted in the destruction of the Medical College of Tokyo Imperial University. As a result, Michiyo was moved to RIKEN, a new research institute in Japan, as a research student instead of an unpaid staff member.

As a holder of a degree in Agriculture, Michiyo Tsujimura worked under the guidance of Umetaro Suzuki in his laboratory, where she delved into Nutritional Chemistry. In 1923, alongside her colleague Seitaro Mura, she discovered Vitamin C in green tea and published a paper in the Journal Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry titled “On Vitamin C in Green Tea.”

Michiyo Tsujimura continued her research and isolated the compound “Flavonoid Catechin” from green tea in 1929. In the following year, she extracted “Tannin in Crystal” from the tea plant and wrote a thesis on the chemical components of green tea, entitled “On the Chemical Components of Green Tea.” Her efforts were recognized with a doctorate from the Tokyo Imperial University in 1932.

In 1934, as the first woman to receive a doctorate in Japan, Michiyo isolated “Gallocatechin” from green tea. The following year, she patented her method of extracting Vitamin C crystals from the plant.

In 1942, she joined RIKEN as a junior researcher and rose to the position of professor at Ochanomizu University in 1949. In 1950, she was appointed professor at the Tokyo Women’s Higher Normal School and served as the first dean of the Faculty of Home Economics. Michiyo officially retired in 1955 at the age of 67, but remained active as a part-time lecturer until her death in 1961. Between 1955 and 1963, she held the position of professor at Jensen Women’s University in Tokyo and was later designated as a professor emeritus.

Green Tea Research

Michiyo Tsujimura’s research on green tea was a significant contribution to the field of agricultural science. She was particularly interested in the nutritional and chemical components of green tea, and worked to isolate and identify various compounds found in the plant. In 1923, she and her colleague Seitaro Mura discovered Vitamin C in green tea, and published their findings in the Journal Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry.

In 1929, Tsujimura isolated the “Flavonoid Catechin” from green tea, which is a type of antioxidant that is commonly found in the plant. The following year, she extracted “Tannin in Crystal” from green tea, which is a type of polyphenol that is also commonly found in the plant. These discoveries helped to shed light on the potential health benefits of green tea, and established Tsujimura as a leading researcher in the field.

Tsujimura’s work on green tea was widely recognized and appreciated. In 1956, she was awarded a Japan Prize of Agricultural Science for her research on the nutritional components of green tea. This prize is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious awards in the field of agricultural science, and it is a testament to the impact of her work. Throughout her career, Tsujimura continued to make important contributions to the field of green tea research, and her legacy continues to inspire new generations of scientists and researchers.

Google Doodle

Michiyo Tsujimura’s next birthday will be the 134th posthumous birthday since her death at the age of 88. On her 133rd posthumous birthday, Google Doodle displayed Michiyo’s extracted work from her green tea studies.

Michiyo undertook a wide range of studies, but she was best renowned for her green tea study and the discovery of Vitamin C from green tea.

However, Google used some of Michiyo’s study components, including a tea shrub, a cup of green tea, a pen, a flask, and a notepad, to produce her 133rd Google letter in the Google Doddle.

Death

There is no information on Michiyo Tsujimura’s cause of death in any internet resource or repository. However, the Japanesse researcher passed away in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, at the age of 81.

There is no information about Michiyo’s marital status or children during her professional life.

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