On December 8, it was revealed that Professor Shinya Yamanaka of Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University will step down as director at the end of March 2022. He has served as the center's director since its foundation in 2010, but he decided to resign his post desiring to focus on his own research. After retiring, he will continue his research on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) as a professor at the institute.

The news was announced by Kyoto University on the said date. Jun Takahashi, a professor at CiRA, will be the next director. His term of office is two years, starting from April 1, 2022.

CiRA was established in April, 2010. Professor Yamanaka became the first director and served for six terms, a total of 12 years. In 2006, he reported that he had created iPS cells in mice, and in 2012, he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

According to Kyoto University, at a CiRA faculty meeting held on December 2, Prof. Yamanaka recommended Prof. Takahashi as the next director, and he was chosen as his successor with a majority of votes.

Prof. Yamanaka said, "Since the presentation of iPS cells, I have done what I can as a director and fundraiser for over 15 years. In the past few years, I have wanted more and more to focus on my own research. As a basic researcher, I will do my best to contribute to the development of iPS cell research, medicine and biology."