is a Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese cell biologist.

Masui studied biology at 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 :...

, graduating with his B.Sc. in zoology

Zoology

Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...

 in 1953, his M.Sc. in 1955 and his Ph.D.

Ph.D.

A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...

 in 1961. While still studying at Kyoto University, he taught biology, first as a teacher's assistant and then as a teacher, at Konan University

Konan University

is a university located on the slopes of Rokko Mountain in Higashinada-ku, the city of Kobe, Japan. A private university with approximately 10,000 students, the university offers a wide variety of programs to Japanese students, as well as an international exchange program through the Konan...

, where he was promoted to Assistant Professor after his earning his Ph.D. In 1966, he moved to Yale University

Yale University

Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...

 to join Clement L. Markert's lab, and in 1969 to the University of Toronto

University of Toronto

The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...

, where he taught as Associate Professor in the Department of Zoology. In 1997, Masui retired and now holds the position of Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto.

In 1998, he won the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research

Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research

The Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research is one of the prizes awarded by the Lasker Foundation for the understanding, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and cure of disease...

 with Lee Hartwell and Paul Nurse

Paul Nurse

Sir Paul Maxime Nurse, PRS is a British geneticist and cell biologist. He was awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Leland H. Hartwell and R...

 for their pioneering work on cell division. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society in 1998 and an officer of the Order of Canada

Order of Canada

The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...

 in 2003 in recognition of his life's work.

Awards

• 1992 – Gairdner Foundation International Award
  Gairdner Foundation International Award
  The Gairdner Foundation International Award is given annually at a special dinner to three to six people for outstanding discoveries or contributions to medical science. Receipt of the Gairdner is traditionally considered a precursor to winning the Nobel Prize in Medicine; as of 2007, 69 Nobel...
  
  
• 1998 – Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research