In Memoriam

In memoriam: Tsuneo Omura

F. Peter Guengerich Bettie Sue Masters Ken-Ichirou Morohashi
By F. Peter Guengerich, Bettie Sue Masters and Ken-Ichirou Morohashi
March 7, 2022

The biochemical community lost one of its pioneers with the death of Tsuneo Omura on Jan. 29.  Omura discovered cytochrome P450, and his 1964 Journal of Biological Chemistry paper describing this work has been cited at least 12,700 times. Omura was an honorary member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from 1990 until his death.          

Tsuneo Omura

Born July 29, 1930, in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, Omura graduated from the University of Tokyo with a B.S. in chemistry and then worked as an instructor and lecturer in chemistry at Shizuoka University. His doctoral work and advancement was unique compared to current systems, but in 1960 he joined Ryo Sato’s laboratory at the Osaka University Institute for Protein Research as an associate professor. In 1961 he was awarded a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Tokyo, based on his work at Shizuoka University. 

In the early 1960s, Omura and Sato published three major papers about the discovery of P450 (including the highly cited one in the JBC), plus seven others in related areas. From 1964 to 1966, Omura was a visiting scientist at the Johnson Foundation of the University of Pennsylvania (with Ronald W. Estabrook) and then Rockefeller University (with Philip Siekevitz). He returned to Osaka and then moved in 1970 to Kyushu University as a professor of biology and molecular biology, a position he held until he assumed emeritus status in 1994. From 1995 to 1997 he was a visiting professor of biochemistry at Vanderbilt University (with Michael R. Waterman and others).

Omura’s contributions to the field of P450 research included studies on the regulation of P450s and, in particular, trafficking of P450s in the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. His studies with mitochondrial P450s, specifically the cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme, led to an enhanced understanding of the regulation of these P450s by proteins such as Ad4BP/SF-1, a steroidogenic transcription factor.

Courtesy of F. Peter Guengerich
F. Peter Guengerich, right, presents a certificate from the ASBMB to Tsuneo Omura at the special 2012 meeting in Fukuoka, commemorating 50 years since Omura's discovery of cytochrome P450.

Omura was a leading figure in biochemistry in Japan and around the world. Along with honorary ASBMB membership, he received the first R. T. Williams Award from the International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics in 2001, and he was honored at the 1994 International Microsomes and Drug Oxidation, or MDO, meeting. He continued to participate in meetings many years after his retirement and presented a plenary lecture at the 2018 MDO meeting in Kanazawa. He received tributes at a special 2012 meeting in Fukuoka, commemorating 50 years since his discovery of cytochrome P450.

Omura will be remembered as a humble and thoughtful man. He was friendly and communicative, always anxious to lend his advice and help people throughout the 91-plus years of his life. His laboratory was open to visitors from abroad; visitors recall his joy in driving his guests all around Kyushu with stops at pottery-making artisans and notable sites, including the active volcano Mt. Aso. 

Students were attracted to Omura’s warm personality and erudite knowledge. During his 24 years at Kyushu University, 112 undergraduate students and 42 graduate students joined his laboratory, and 33 of them earned Ph.D.s under his thoughtful and persistent guidance. Many went on to productive careers. He was always eager to help young scientists, and in his laboratory, he created an atmosphere of camaraderie and mutual respect. He was a sensei in every sense of this Japanese title of honor. 

Omura was preceded in death by his wife, Yone, on Dec. 9, 2000, and is survived by their three children. He was loved by many scientists in the field, and he will be missed. 

(Masahiko Negishi and Hiroshi Yamazaki contributed to this article.)


 

Enjoy reading ASBMB Today?

Become a member to receive the print edition monthly and the digital edition weekly.

Learn more
F. Peter Guengerich

F. Peter Guengerich is a professor of biochemistry at Vanderbilt University, an associate editor of the Journal of Biological Chemistry and a 2021 ASBMB fellow.

Bettie Sue Masters
Bettie Sue Masters

Bettie Sue Masters is an adjunct professor of biochemistry at the Duke University Medical Center and was president of the ASBMB from 2002 to 2004.

Ken-Ichirou Morohashi
Ken-Ichirou Morohashi

Ken-Ichirou Morohashi is a professor of molecular biology at Kyusha University.
 

Related articles

In memoriam: Isao Yamazaki
ASBMB Today Staff
John H. Exton: A cell signaling pioneer
Roger J. Colbran, Jackie D. Corbin & Alan D. Cherrington
In memoriam: Clark Bublitz
ASBMB Today Staff

Get the latest from ASBMB Today

Enter your email address, and we’ll send you a weekly email with recent articles, interviews and more.

Latest in People

People highlights or most popular articles

2023 PROLAB winners named
Member News

2023 PROLAB winners named

June 2, 2023

Ten early-career scientists will receive grants that will allow them to advance their research by working in the labs of collaborators abroad.

State laws change the landscape for LGBTQIA+ scientists
Pride

State laws change the landscape for LGBTQIA+ scientists

May 31, 2023

New legislation in the past 16 months has banned gender affirming care for transgender teens, teaching children about sexual orientation and gender identity, and drag shows.

Redefining STEM
Pride

Redefining STEM

May 30, 2023

The U.K.-based organization Pride in STEM says it aims to “queer up science spaces” and to “science up queer spaces.”

Awards for Medlock, Bagde and Maquat
Member News

Awards for Medlock, Bagde and Maquat

May 29, 2023

Awards, promotions milestones and more. Find out what's going on in the lives of ASBMB members.

In memoriam: Sorina Popescu
In Memoriam

In memoriam: Sorina Popescu

May 29, 2023

She was a a plant biologist and biochemist whose last studies included several melding science and agriculture on topics ranging from crop stress resistance to plant root microbial community control.

Meet the 2023 ASBMB Advocacy Training Program delegates
Announcement

Meet the 2023 ASBMB Advocacy Training Program delegates

May 24, 2023

ASBMB announces a new cohort of 12 ASBMB Advocacy Training Program delegates who will learn about science policy and advocacy through this summer externship