Obituaries

Edward J. Massaro, a former faculty member in the Department of Biochemistry, died June 1 in Cary, N.C., a few days before his 85th birthday. He had suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for five years.

Massaro, who worked at UB from 1968-78, was “the coolest biochemistry professor at UB,” inspiring many undergraduate and graduate students to make their careers in science, family members say.

He conducted research into the effect of mercury pollution on fish, and worked with scientists from SUNY Buffalo State to look into the toxicity of heavy metals and other substances. The research was published in several scientific and environmental journals.

After leaving UB, Massaro joined the Mason Research Institute in Worcester, Mass., and then moved to Penn State, taking a position as a professor of biochemical toxicology in the Department of Veterinary Science. He concluded his career at the Environmental Protection Agency, working as a senior scientist at the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Lab in North Carolina. He retired in 2014.

Over the course of his career, Massaro conducted more than 600 research projects, and wrote and edited several books on toxicology and cellular biochemistry.

He was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a recipient of the Scientific and Technological Achievement Award from the EPA.

Massaro earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Rutgers University, a master’s in biochemistry from the University of Texas-Austin, and a doctorate in biochemistry, cell biology and physiology from the University of Texas-Austin and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.