Mizuki Ishii, a first-year doctoral student at the Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, received the Best Poster Award at the Photosynthetic Water Oxidation Satellite Meeting, held in conjunction with the International Congress on Photosynthesis Research.

The International Congress on Photosynthesis Research is the world’s largest international conference in the field of photosynthesis research and is held every four years. The 2026 Congress was held in Liverpool, UK, from July 26 to 30. Prior to the main congress, satellite meetings were held to provide opportunities for more specialized and focused discussions on specific research topics. The Photosynthetic Water Oxidation Satellite Meeting was held in London, UK, from July 23 to 25, bringing together researchers from around the world for intensive discussions and numerous poster presentations. Ishii’s presentation was selected for the Best Poster Award in recognition of its excellence.

Ishii presented a study entitled “Structural determination of the high-spin S₂ state in photosystem II by XFEL crystallography.” The study used X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) crystallography to determine the structure of the high-spin S₂ state of photosystem II (PSII), which plays a central role in the water-splitting reaction in photosynthesis.

At the award ceremony, Ishii received a certificate in recognition of the award. The award reflects the high regard in which Ishii’s research was held by the international photosynthesis research community.

Commenting on the award, Ishii said:

“I am deeply honored to receive the Best Poster Award. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed to this research. I hope to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms of photosynthesis through more precise structural analyses in the future.”

Professor Michihiro Suga of the Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, who supervised Ishii’s research, commented:

“This research requires highly detailed structural analysis, and I am very pleased that Ishii’s efforts have been recognized. I am always delighted to see our lab members succeed, and I am very happy to see Ishii’s hard work recognized in this way.”

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