Masaaki Tamura

1950 - 2025

Masaaki Tamura, age 75, passed away surrounded by family at the University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, on Thursday, January 16, 2025, following a sudden illness.

Masa was born in Shiozawa, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, on January 1, 1950, to parents Kyuichiro and Kan (Sato) Tamura. He grew up in a rice farming village in the middle of "Snow Country" and eventually earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from Kitasato University in 1973 and a PhD in Biochemistry and Nutrition from Azabu Veterinary College in 1980. Masa moved to Nashville, TN, in 1982 to begin his career in biomedical research at Vanderbilt University. In 2005, he relocated to Manhattan, KS, to join the Department of Anatomy and Physiology at Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.

Throughout his career, Masa worked tirelessly for the fight against cancer, focusing his research on innovative approaches such as targeted gene therapy, applications of stem cells, cost-effective immunotherapies, and the discovery of natural products for cancer prevention and treatment. His early contributions also involved study of the angiotensin II receptor and its role in heart disease and cancer. Masa was a beloved mentor to numerous trainees in his laboratory, as well as junior faculty, many of whom have gone on to successful careers as scientists, veterinarians, and medical doctors. Although he was planning to retire this summer, he was still supervising an active research lab at the time of his illness.

On October 5, 1997, Masa married Pamela Jo Horton, and they raised a family together. Masa had a green thumb and loved to garden, do yardwork, travel, ski, snorkel, sing, and read. In his college days, he was a sailor, motorcyclist, and guitarist/lead singer in a band. He was dedicated to promoting the Japanese community in Manhattan and loved traveling home often to visit family in Japan. He was immensely proud of his children, as you know if you were ever regaled with his updates and photos.

Masaaki is survived by his wife Pam; daughter Hana Tamura, Nashville, TN; son Daniel Tamura, Manhattan; daughter Marie Tamura, Tokyo, Japan; daughter Makiko (Minoru) Nishizawa, Tokyo, Japan; grandsons Kento and Shuto Nishizawa; sister Kiyoko (Shigeo) Koyama; brother Kazuhiro (Eiko) Tamura; and nieces Haruka, Noriko, Chihiro, Tomomi, and Natsuki. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home. Private inurnment will be held at a later date.

The family suggests memorial contributions in memory of Masaaki to the Johnson Cancer Research Center at Kansas State University. Contributions may be sent in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502.

Online condolences may be left for the family through the funeral home website at www.ymlfuneralhome.com.