LAUSR

Bill Mason passed away in September 2022 at the age of 78. Bill’s name is intimately connected to over 40 years of hepatitis B virus (HBV) research that has provided significant and unexpected insights into the biology of this virus. Bill earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics at Stevens Institute of Technology in 1965 and a PhD in biophysics in 1971 from the University of Chicago, where he investigated the tail fiber protein (encoded by gene 12) of the bacteriophage T4 in the laboratory of Robert Haselkorn. In 1971, he joined the laboratory of Peter Vogt at the University of Southern California School of Medicine, where he began investigating avian retroviruses. In 1973, Bill joined the Institute for Cancer Research at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, where he rose through the ranks to become a professor in 1991. He remained at Fox Chase until his death a few months ago. In his spare time, Bill enjoyed biking and playing the clarinet and saxophone in several bands. He especially enjoyed many bicycling trips in Europe with his sister and friends. In his younger years, he enjoyed running and completed several half and full marathons. He was also the loving father of his daughter Jeanine. Bill’s many significant Editor Stacey Schultz-Cherry, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Copyright © 2023 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved. Address correspondence to [email protected]. The author declares no conflict of interest. William (Bill) Mason, PhD, was born on October 4, 1943, in Fair Lawn, NJ, and died on September 18, 2022, in Williamstown, NJ. He was 78.