Bettie Sue Masters

Bettie Sue Siler Masters is an American biochemist who is adjunct professor at Duke University known for her work on nitric oxide synthase and cytochrome P450 reductase. She was the 1992 recipient of the FASEB Excellence in Science Award, and has been elected as a member of the National Academy of Medicine and as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Early life and education Masters was born in Lexington, Virginia, where her father was a radio announcer and a singer. As a child she was an avid reader of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson whose analytical skills she admired. She graduated from Roanoke College in 1959 with a B.S. in chemistry. In 1963, she earned her Ph.D. in biochemistry from Duke University.

Career Following her Ph.D. work, she conducted postdoctoral research first with fellowship support from the American Cancer Society and then with grant support from the American Heart Association.

Research Masters is recognized for her work on the structure and function of enzymes. As a graduate student she characterized the kinetics and mechanism NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase). She went on to develop methods to purify enzymes, such as cytochrome P450 reductase and the three isoforms of nitric oxide synthase, which allows investigation into their biochemical properties and identification of the active sites of the proteins through x-ray crystallography. In collaboration with the laboratory of Dr. Jung-Ja Kim, the crystal structure of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase was determined.

Selected publications

Awards and honors Masters has received numerous honors and awards. Roanoke College, her alma mater, awarded her the Roanoke College Medal for her distinguished service to her community and her profession. In 1996, Masters was elected as a member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and, in 2001, she was elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). In 2005, Charles University (Prague) awarded Masters an honorary medical degree, Doctorem Medicinae Honoris Causae, in recognition of her work. In 2024, Masters was named a fellow of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB).

Personal life Bettie Sue Masters was married to Robert Sherman Masters for 53 years before his death in 2013. They had two daughters, Diane Elizabeth Masters and Deborah Masters Camitta, who presented them with three grandchildren.