In memoriam: Melvin Simpson
Melvin Simpson, founder of the biochemistry department at Stony Brook University and a member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology since 1955, died January 31, 2022, the society learned recently. He was 100 years old.

Simpson was born July 15, 1921. He earned his Ph.D. in 1949 from the University of California at Berkeley for studies of protein biosynthesis in the laboratory of Harold Tarver and began his independent career as a professor at Yale before moving to Dartmouth where he was an American Cancer Society Professor.
In 1967, Simpson joined the faculty of Stony Brook University to start a section in biochemistry within the biology department. Two years later, biochemistry became a separate department with Simpson as the founding chair. He worked to recruit faculty as well as establish a positive inspiring environment. “He always had a smile on his face … he wanted everyone to be happy,” Norm Arnheim recalled in a Stony Brook memorial article.
Protein synthesis was the focus of Simpson’s early scientific career; he pioneered a method to track synthesis using radioactive methionine. Later, his interests expanded to include DNA, in particular mitochondrial DNA synthesis and metabolism. His studies included work on a mitochondrial topoisomerase and mitochondrial DNA evolution. He also studied the mechanism of nucleoside analog AZT, which was being tested as an AIDS antiviral at the time.
Simpson served in the US Navy during World War II. He maintained a love of boats and sailing his whole life, often sharing stories of places he visited. His wide-ranging interests beyond scientific research included archeology, a subject in which he took classes at Stony Brook while a professor.
Simpson’s colleagues and former students remember him as someone who treated everyone with respect and kindness; they write that he was a good mentor who asked critical questions while also supporting his mentees and colleagues with a helping hand both within and outside of the lab.
Enjoy reading ASBMB Today?
Become a member to receive the print edition four times a year and the digital edition monthly.
Learn moreGet 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

How HCMV hijacks host cells — and beyond
Ileana Cristea, an ASBMB Breakthroughs webinar speaker, presented her research on how viruses reprogram cell structure and metabolism to enhance infection and how these mechanisms might link viral infections to cancer and other diseases.

Understanding the lipid link to gene expression in the nucleus
Ray Blind, an ASBMB Breakthroughs speaker, presented his research on how lipids and sugars in the cell nucleus are involved in signaling and gene expression and how these pathways could be targeted to identify therapeutics for diseases like cancer.

In memoriam: William S. Sly
He served on the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Council in 2005 and 2006 and was an ASBMB member for 35 years.

ASBMB committees welcome new members
Members joined these committees: Education and Professional Development, Maximizing Access, Meetings, Membership, Public Affairs Advisory, Science Outreach and Communication, Student Chapters and Women in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Cadichon honored for academic achievement
She won the State University of New York at Old Westbury’s Dr. Henry Teoh Award for Outstanding Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program Graduating Senior, which recognizes exceptional achievement, leadership and promise in a student.

In memoriam: Ralph G. Yount
He was a professor emeritus of chemistry and biochemistry at Washington State University and an ASBMB member for 58 years.