Masaru Tomita

Masaru Tomita
Born (1957-12-28) December 28, 1957
EducationKeio University, Carnegie Mellon University, Kyoto University
Known forSystems biology, Metabolomics, Machine translation
AwardsPresidential Young Investigators Award from National Science Foundation (1988); IBM Shared University Research Award (2003)
Scientific career
FieldsSystems biology; Computer science
WorkplacesKeio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus; Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University
Herbert Alexander Simon

Masaru Tomita (Japanese: 冨田 勝, Hepburn: Tomita Masaru; born December 28, 1957) is a Japanese scientist in the fields of systems biology and computer science, best known as the founder of the E-Cell simulation system[1] and/or the inventor of GLR parser algorithm.[2]

His father was the composer and synthesiser player Isao Tomita.[3]

Biography

He received an M.S. (1983) and a Ph.D. (1985) in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) under Jaime Carbonell, and three other doctoral degrees in electronic engineering (Kyoto University, 1994), molecular biology (Keio University, 1998), and media and governance (Keio University, 2019).[4][5]

Career

He served a professor of Keio University, Director of the Institute for Advanced Biosciences, and the founder and board member of various spinout companies, including Human Metabolome Technologies, Inc. and Spiber Inc.[6] He is also the co-founder and on the board of directors of The Metabolomics Society.[7]

From Oct. 2005 to Sep. 2007, he served as Dean of Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University.[8]

At CMU, starting in 1985, Tomita achieved a series of academic promotions from assistant professor to associate professor of computer science and from 1986 he became an associate director of the Center for Machine Translation.[9]

In 1990, he returned to Keio University and served as associate professor, professor, and Dean of the faculty of Environmental Information. At Keio University, he shifted his research emphasis to the studies of molecular biology and systems biology. In 2001, he founded Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, and served as Director of the institute until 2023.[10]

Tomita is a recipient of the Presidential Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation of the USA (1988)[11], IBM Japan Science Prize (2002), IBM Shared University Research Award (2003), Minister of Science and Technology Policy Award (2004), The Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (2007), Audi Innovation Award (2016), International Metabolomics Society Lifetime Honorary Fellow (2017), 68th Kahoku Bunka Prize (2019), 5th Bioindustry Award Grand Prize (2021), and 27th Momofuku Ando Award Grand Prize (2023).[12]

Selected papers

  • "Building Working Cells 'in Silico'", Science 1999; 284-5411:80 - 81
  • "Going for Grand Challenges", Nature 1999; 402:C70
  • "E-CELL: Software environment for whole cell simulation", Bioinformatics 1999; 15:72-84
  • "Computerized role models: Japan's push to create a virtual cell signals a new approach to research", Nature 2002; 417
  • "Multiple high-throughput analyses monitor the response of E. coli to perturbations", Science 2007; 316:593-7

References

  1. ↑ "Japan's New Wave of Collaborative Innovation | Japan Insight - Insights - Investing in Japan - Japan External Trade Organization". ジェトロ. 2026. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  2. ↑ "Researchers store data in bacteria DNA". NBC News. 2007-05-16. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  3. ↑ Fox, Margalit (2016-05-12). "Isao Tomita Dies at 84; Combined Electronic and Classical Music". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  4. ↑ "Details of a Researcher - Tomita, Masaru".
  5. ↑ Ltd, Shiseido Co. "Shiseido Signs Advisory Agreement with Professor Masaru Tomita, Director General of The Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University | NEWS RELEASE | Shiseido Company". corp.shiseido.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  6. ↑ "Professor Masaru Tomita of the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies becomes the first Japanese person to be named a Lifetime Honorary Fellow of the International Metabolomics Society. | Faculty of Policy Management / Faculty of Environment and Information Studies / Graduate School of Media and Governance (SFC) | Keio University". www.keio.ac.jp. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  7. ↑ "History of the Society – Metabolomics Society".
  8. ↑ "Details of a Researcher - Tomita, Masaru".
  9. ↑ "From game programming to discovering the mystery of life | Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus". www.sfc.keio.ac.jp. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  10. ↑ "Details of a Researcher - Tomita, Masaru".
  11. ↑ "GRIPS Forum "Changing the World from the Rice Paddies ∼Tsuruoka Science Park's Innovative Challenges"". National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  12. ↑ "From game programming to discovering the mystery of life | Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus". www.sfc.keio.ac.jp. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
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