UC Irvine News Brief: Pioneering molecular biologist Masayasu Nomura dies at 84
His studies of ribosomes provided key insights into the nature of antibiotic resistance and cell growth control.
Masayasu Nomura, a UCI molecular biologist whose studies of ribosomes provided key insights into the nature of antibiotic resistance and cell growth control, died Nov. 19 at age 84. His breakthrough research on these complex cellular components has influenced current understanding of how cells lose control and turn cancerous. After establishing himself as one of the leading biologists of his era at the University of Wisconsin, Nomura came to UCI in 1984 as the Grace Beekhuis Bell Chair in Biological Chemistry. An outstanding colleague who wrote more than 300 research papers, he also mentored generations of junior faculty and trained 30 graduate students and 50 postdoctoral fellows. Nomura was elected in 1978 to the National Academy of Sciences, which awarded him a special medal, and he was honored by two UCI symposia. A fellowship will be created in his name.