Masaru Tomita
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese molecular biologist and computer scientist, best known as the director of the E-Cell simulation environment software and/or the inventor of GLR parser
algorithm. He is a professor of Keio University
, president of the Institute for Advanced Biosciences, and the founder
and board member of Human Metabolome Technologies, Inc. He is also the co-founder
and on the board of directors of The Metabolomics Society.
From Oct. 2005 to Sep. 2007, he served as Dean of Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University
.
He received an M.S. (1983) and a Ph.D. (1985) in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University
(CMU) under Jaime Carbonell
, and two other doctoral degrees in electronic engineering and molecular biology from Kyoto University
(1994) and Keio University
(1998).
At CMU, starting in 1985, Dr. 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.
In 1990, he returned to Keio University, Japan, and served as associate professor until 1997. At Keio University, he shifted his research emphasis to the studies of molecular biology
and systems biology
.
Dr. Tomita is a recipient of the Presidential Young Investigator Award
from the National Science Foundation of the USA (1988), an IBM Japan Science Prize (2002), an IBM Shared University Research Award (2003), a Minister of Science and Technology Policy Award (2004), and The Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (2007).
GLR parser
A GLR parser is an extension of an LR parser algorithm to handle nondeterministic and ambiguous grammars. First described in a 1984 paper by Masaru Tomita, it has also been referred to as a "parallel parser"...
algorithm. He is a professor of Keio University
Keio University
,abbreviated as Keio or Keidai , is a Japanese university located in Minato, Tokyo. It is known as the oldest institute of higher education in Japan. Founder Fukuzawa Yukichi originally established it as a school for Western studies in 1858 in Edo . It has eleven campuses in Tokyo and Kanagawa...
, president of the Institute for Advanced Biosciences, and the founder
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and board member of Human Metabolome Technologies, Inc. He is also the co-founder
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and on the board of directors of The Metabolomics Society.
From Oct. 2005 to Sep. 2007, he served as Dean of Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University
Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus
, also known as “Keio SFC” is a research-oriented campus of Keio University located in the city of Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The campus currently offers three undergraduate courses, two postgraduate courses and incorporates one high school and several research institutes...
.
He received an M.S. (1983) and a Ph.D. (1985) in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
(CMU) under Jaime Carbonell
Jaime Carbonell
Jaime G. Carbonell is Allen Newell Professor of Computer Science and the director of the Language Technologies Institute at Carnegie Mellon University.He earned his B.S. degrees in Physics and in Mathematics from MIT in 1975 and his Ph.D. under Dr...
, and two other doctoral degrees in electronic engineering and molecular biology from Kyoto University
Kyoto University
, or is a national university located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan's Imperial Universities.- History :...
(1994) and Keio University
Keio University
,abbreviated as Keio or Keidai , is a Japanese university located in Minato, Tokyo. It is known as the oldest institute of higher education in Japan. Founder Fukuzawa Yukichi originally established it as a school for Western studies in 1858 in Edo . It has eleven campuses in Tokyo and Kanagawa...
(1998).
At CMU, starting in 1985, Dr. 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.
In 1990, he returned to Keio University, Japan, and served as associate professor until 1997. At Keio University, he shifted his research emphasis to the studies of molecular biology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
and systems biology
Systems biology
Systems biology is a term used to describe a number of trends in bioscience research, and a movement which draws on those trends. Proponents describe systems biology as a biology-based inter-disciplinary study field that focuses on complex interactions in biological systems, claiming that it uses...
.
Dr. Tomita is a recipient of the Presidential Young Investigator Award
Presidential Young Investigator Award
The Presidential Young Investigator Award was awarded by the National Science Foundation. The program operated from 1984 to 1991, and was replaced by the NSF Young Investigator Awards and Presidential Faculty Fellows Program...
from the National Science Foundation of the USA (1988), an IBM Japan Science Prize (2002), an IBM Shared University Research Award (2003), a Minister of Science and Technology Policy Award (2004), and The Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (2007).
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