Prominent American immunologist and microbiologist J. Michael Bishop has passed away at the age of 90. His revolutionary discoveries regarding the nature of cancer cells became the foundation of modern oncology.
In 1989, J. Michael Bishop, along with Harold Varmus, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Their research radically changed the scientific understanding of how tumors are formed.
Bishop’s Revolutionary Discovery: “Oncogenes”
Prior to Bishop, a large part of the scientific community believed that cancer was caused only by external viruses. However, Bishop and Varmus proved that cancer-causing genes (oncogenes) are actually an integral part of our own normal cells.
They discovered that under certain conditions (such as mutation), our own healthy genes can “turn malignant” and trigger uncontrolled cell division. This discovery paved the way for targeted cancer therapy and modern diagnostic methods.
Academic Career
J. Michael Bishop spent decades at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where he also served as Chancellor for 10 years. Colleagues describe him as a brilliant mentor, writer, and popularizer of science.
“Michael Bishop gave hope to millions of people that cancer can be defeated by studying its genetic nature,” read the condolences from the scientific community.
