Academician Shizhang Bei, a renowned biologist and educator, founder and pioneer of biophysics of China, honorary director of Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and honorary chairman of the Biophysical Society of China, died at 9:30am of October 29, 2009 at his home in Beijing.

Academician Bei was born on October 10, 1903.  He was elected in 1948 one of the first academicians of Academia Sinica. He was elected in 1955 a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Academician Bei was the inaugurator of China’s biophysics, radiation biology and space biology. He led a series of such important studies as " Monitoring of natural background radiation in nuclear tests ", "Monitoring of nuclear tests’ radiation and long term effects on animals", "Biological rockets" and so on, making an outstanding contribution to the development of China’s life sciences and manned space cause.