Born and raised in Hokkaido, Japan, Professor Ryuzo Yanagimachi, the 2023 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Basic Sciences, developed a love for nature. He became fascinated with the fertilization process of sea urchins. After studying the fertilization of fish and the life cycle of parasitic barnacles, he realized little was known about mammalian fertilization. He went on to train with Professor M.C. Chang at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, the father of mammalian in vitro fertilization and then started his own lab at the University of Hawai'i. His basic studies contributed to understanding the hidden capacity of sperm and eggs and overcoming human fertility problems. Professor Yanagimachi passed away in 2023 at the age of 95, just a few months before he was to receive his Kyoto Prize award. Dr. W. Steven Ward, Director of the Institute for Biogenesis Research at the University of Hawai'i will present Prof. Yanagimachi's life and work. (#39423)