Professor Kei Sakamoto elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
The honour recognises Professor Sakamoto's distinguished contributions to metabolic research and his enduring connection to Scotland, where his independent research career began.
Scotland’s National Academy elects Professor Kei Sakamoto to the Royal Society of Edinburgh as an International Fellow in recognition of his pioneering research on the molecular signalling mechanisms underlying metabolic health and disease.
Following several years as Head of Metabolic Health and Deputy Director at the Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences in Lausanne, Switzerland, Professor Kei Sakamoto joined the NNF Centre for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR) at the University of Copenhagen in 2019 and assumed the position of Vice Executive Director in 2020.
Prior to this role, he spent almost a decade at the MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit, University of Dundee in Scotland. There, working with Professor Dario Alessi, he made foundational discoveries on how the energy-sensing enzyme AMPK is activated and promotes glucose disposal in skeletal muscle in response to exercise.
These Scottish ties remain strong. In 2020, Professor Kei Sakamoto established a research alliance between CBMR and MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit to accelerate discoveries on metabolic signalling and the regulation of energy homeostasis. The partnership has enabled joint postdoctoral positions and shared access to cutting-edge research technologies.
He says: “I am deeply honoured to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This recognition reflects a journey shaped by inspiring mentors, wonderful colleagues, and the many talented students, researchers and administration staff I have had the privilege to work with over the years.”
“I am especially grateful to my own team, whose intellectual curiosity, deep commitment, and passion continue to drive our research forward every day. I share this honour with them. It inspires me to keep pursuing meaningful science and to contribute to the Society’s mission of advancing knowledge and creating a positive impact on society.”
The RSE Fellowship cohort for 2026 includes 43 new Fellows spanning science, business, the arts and public service. Fourteen have backgrounds in public health, reflecting the Academy's focus on society's most pressing health challenges.
Read more on the Royal Society of Edinburgh website.