2013 Recipient

International Leadership AwardThe International Leadership Award is given to a Fellow or Master of the ACG in recognitionof outstanding and substantial contributions to gastroenterology, to the College and to theinternational gastroenterology community. Substantial contributions internationally mayinclude, but are not limited to the following: The training of individuals from other countrieswho have gone on to become leaders in gastroenterology in their community; leadershipin international organizations that has resulted in improvement in the care of patients; andparticipation in humanitarian efforts.2013 RecipientToshifumi Hibi, MD, PhD, FACGDr. Toshifumi Hibi is Director of the Center for Advanced IBDResearch and Treatment, Kitasato Institute Hospital, KitasatoUniversity and Adjunct Professor of Medicine at KitasatoUniversity Graduate School of Medical Science. He was alsoappointed Emeritus Professor of Keio University after he retired asProfessor and Chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine,Keio University School of Medicine in March 2013.He graduated from Keio University School of Medicine andreceived his MD in 1973. He then entered Keio UniversityPostgraduate School of Medicine and received a PhD in 1978. Afterworking as a gastroenterologist at Keio University Hospital and ataffiliated hospitals since 1973, he joined the faculty of Keio University in 1989. He becameProfessor of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine in 1995. His research interestshave focused on delineation of mucosal immunology, understanding of pathophysiologyand establishment of novel therapeutic strategy of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Hewas awarded the Medical Award by the Japan Medical Association in 2008 and the KeioGijuku Award in 2011 for his achievements in human mucosal immunology.He had been an Editorial Board Member of Gastroenterology from 1999-2012 and is servingas International Consultant of Gastroenterology. He has been an Associate Editor ofInflammatory Bowel Disease since 2007 and an Associate Editor of Mucosal Immunologysince 2008. He served as the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) Governorfor Japan from 2006-2012. By not only serving as President of the Japanese Society ofMucosal Immunology, but also by dedicating his time to both the ACG and the AmericanGastroenterological Association, the spectrum of his interactions have expanded to includecollaboration in a number of educational initiatives as well as efforts to promote expandedinteractions between Japanese gastroenterologists and those in the U.S. and Europe. Asthe President, he held an International Symposium of Recent Advances in InflammatoryBowel Disease in 2006 and the 13 th International Congress of Mucosal Immunology in 2007.25