Professor Bruce N. Ames has passed away at the age of 95. The University of California, Berkeley biochemist, known for developing the "Ames test", passed away at the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley on October 5, 2024, surrounded by friends and family. UC Berkeley News reported on his passing, and share his legacy.
His Legacy
Bruce Nathan Ames was born in New York City on December 16, 1928. He attended the Bronx High School of Science, Cornell University, and the California Institute of Technology before joining the UC Berkeley faculty in 1968. Dr. Ames spent most of his career at UC Berkeley as a professor emeritus of molecular and cell biology. In addition to teaching undergrad students, he developed a low-cost carcinogens test that eventually became an initial screen for keeping drug toxicity and cancer-causing chemicals out of food and consumer goods. The test's effectiveness led to its worldwide adoption in the early stages of product development and removed Tris, a chemical that had been used as a flame retardant in children's sleepwear, from the market.
In January of 2019, Richard A. Passwater, Ph.D., interviewed Professor Ames for his popular Vitamin Connection column in WholeFoods Magazine. The article explored a seminal review of Dr. Ames' research that identifies nutrients according to their use at the time either for survival or for longevity. Dr. Passwater noted that Dr. Ames extended his “Triage Theory” into a broader concept of nutrient needs for longevity beyond the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) needed for growth. Read the interview here.
Honoring His Career
A mentor, a dedicated researcher, and science enthusiast, friends, colleagues, members of the University of California, Berkeley, and anyone who met him or is familiar with his work has felt the impact of his loss. “He was full of life and so obsessed by his science,” shared Michael Botchan, Professor Emeritus of Molecular and Cell Biology and former Dean of the Biological Sciences in UC Berkeley’s College of Letters and Science.
Dr. Ames is survived by his wife, Giovanna Ferro-Luzzi Ames, daughter Sofia Ames; son Matteo Ames; and two grandchildren, Dorotea and Giovanni. Read more about his life and legacy here.
