Kohzoh Imai

is a Japanese physician and oncologist specializing in molecular diagnosis and novel medical treatment of cancer. He is well known for the discovery of a melanoma-related antigen (later, it is called, Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan-4 (CSPG4)) by producing a monoclonal antibody. In addition, he produced monoclonal antibodies against CEA or ICAM-1 and found out they are usable in the diagnosis and the pathological analysis.

He is a former professor and president of Sapporo Medical University. He was a Council Member of the Science Council of Japan (The 20th and 21st term). Also he was invited by the Emperor and Empress to their spring garden party in 2009. He was a professor and the director at Research Hospital, The Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo in 2010 and is currently a project professor at the University of Tokyo and the director of Kanagawa Cancer Center Research Institute in 2014 to present. He received the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon in 2013. Provided by Wikipedia