Ames, Bruce

Bruce Ames, (born December 16, 1928, New York City, New York, U.S.), American biochemist and geneticist who developed the Ames test for chemical mutagens. The test, introduced in the 1970s, assessed the ability of chemicals to induce mutations in the bacterium Salmonella typhimurium. Because of its sensitivity to carcinogenic (cancer-causing) human-made substances, which led to bans on the commercial use of several synthetic chemicals, the test made Ames a hero to environmentalists. However, he later changed his position on synthetic chemicals, following the realization that many naturally occurring substances are also carcinogenic. As a result, during the late 1980s and the 1990s, he came into conflict with environmentalists who had hailed him as an asset to their cause. Ames devoted much of his career to the study of cancer and aging, summarizing his research in more than 500 publications.