On February 11, 2026 (EST), TIME named Prof. Takanori Takebe, Deputy Director of the WPI-PRIMe at the University of Osaka and Professor at the Graduate School of Medicine (Organ System Genetics), to the 2026 TIME100 Health List of the World’s Most Influential Leaders in Health. The 2026 TIME100 Health spotlights the 100 most influential leaders in health this year. As the global order has shifted, these titans, innovators, leaders, pioneers, and catalysts have pushed new ideas—from gene therapies to regulatory agencies—ahead to build healthier populations around the world.

Professor Takebe was selected in recognition of his group’s pioneering research in developing advanced treatments for end-stage organ failure. Of particular note was the Phase 1 clinical trial report on Enteral Ventilation (EVA)—a method of breathing through the digestive tract—published in the journal Med in October 2025. This study successfully verified the safety of the EVA technique in humans, marking a major milestone in transitioning this innovative medical concept from animal models to clinical application.
The success of this trial paves the way for a paradigm shift in respiratory support. The EVA technology is expected to become a life-saving solution not only for patients with respiratory failure but also for those with various critical conditions, introducing an entirely new concept to modern medicine.
The full list and related tributes appear in the 2/23 issue, available on newsstands on Friday, February 13, 2026, and now at (http://time.com/time100health).