Pierre Masson

Claude L. Pierre Masson (November 12, 1880 – May 11, 1959) was a Canadian medical doctor. He was considered one of the leading histopathologists of his era.^[1]

Pierre Masson

He was born in Dijon and studied medicine at the University of Paris and the Pasteur Institute. Originally, Masson planned a career in clinical medicine, but, after suffering poor health, decided to change his area of interest to biology. Masson was offered the chair of pathology at the University of Strasbourg.^[2] He is credited with first describing neurocrine secretion and his work led to the development of modern neuroendocrinology. He was also known for his research into brain tumours. Masson developed a three-stain protocol used in histology known as "Masson's trichrome stain". In 1927, he left Strasbourg to become chair of the Pathology department at the Université de Montréal.^[3] Masson reworked the pathology curriculum at the university and reorganized the pathology laboratories there. He retired from that position in 1954.^[1]

He died at the age of 79 and was buried in the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery.^[3]

Masson was named to the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in 1997.^[1]