Bruce Ames
Bruce Ames | |
|---|---|
Ames in 2009 | |
| Born | Bruce Nathan Ames December 16, 1928 New York City, U.S |
| Died | October 5, 2024 (aged 95) Berkeley, California, U.S. |
| Education | California Institute of Technology, Cornell University |
| Known for | Ames test |
| Spouse | Giovanna Ferro-Luzzi Ames |
| Awards | Charles S. Mott Prize (1983) Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement (1985) AIC Gold Medal (1981) Japan Prize (1997) National Medal of Science (1998) Thomas Hunt Morgan Medal (2004) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Molecular Biology, Biochemistry |
| Institutions | University of California, Berkeley Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute National Institutes of Health |
| Thesis | The biosynthesis of histidine in Neurospora crassa (1953) |
| Doctoral advisor | Herschel K. Mitchell and Mary B. Mitchell |
Bruce Nathan Ames (December 16, 1928 – October 5, 2024) was an American biochemist who was a professor of biochemistry and Molecular Biology Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley, and was a senior scientist at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI). Ames made contributions to understanding the mechanisms of mutagenesis and DNA repair. He invented the Ames test, a widely used assay for easily and cheaply evaluating the mutagenicity of compounds. The test revolutionized the field of toxicology and has played a crucial role in identifying numerous environmental and industrial carcinogens.