Norwood woman killed by plow remembered as ‘exceptional scientist’

As a major snowstorm blanketed Massachusetts Sunday afternoon, a snowplow truck struck a married couple in an MBTA parking lot in Norwood. A man was injured, and a woman was killed. 

MBTA Transit Police officials identified the woman Tuesday as Noriko Rapley, a 51-year-old Norwood resident. 

Rapley was a well-regarded scientist who worked at the Mass General Research Institute and as an instructor at Harvard Medical School. She was affiliated with the Center for Computational and Integrative Biology at MGH. 

In a statement, MGH called Rapley an “exceptional scientist whose work was driven by rigor, creativity, and a deep commitment to understanding human biology.”

She began working at MGH in 2008 as a research scientist in the Departments of Molecular Biology and Medicine, according to the hospital’s statement. Rapley joined the CCIB in 2019 and “continued to push scientific boundaries with remarkable talent, curiosity, and dedication.”

Rapley’s recent research centered on the biology of the intestine. She worked toward finding new therapeutic approaches for people dealing with food allergies and inflammatory bowel disease. 

“She had a rare ability to make complex biological systems experimentally tractable, combining deep expertise in cell and molecular biology with innovative model systems. Through the creative use of intestinal organoids, her work pushed the frontiers of cell and tissue modeling and uncovered previously unknown mechanisms linking genetics, intestinal physiology, autoimmunity, and allergy. Her scientific rigor was matched only by her integrity, which was central to who she was,” MGH said. 

Rapley and her husband were struck by a Ford F350 truck that was plowing snow in the parking lot of the Norwood Central commuter rail station at about 2 p.m. Sunday, officials said. The truck hit them while in reverse. 

The plow operator, identified only as a 33-year-old man, remained at the scene and was cooperative with detectives. Transit Police are continuing to investigate, with help from the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. 

Superintendent Richard Sullivan of the Transit Police called Rapley’s death an “unimaginable, horrific incident” in a statement. 

Rapley’s husband suffered nonlife-threatening injuries. He was transported to a local hospital after the incident. 

In addition to her scientific talents, Rapley was remembered as a warm soul. 

“Beyond her many scientific contributions, Noriko was a kind and generous colleague—always ready to help others, lift spirits with a thoughtful word, or share a homemade dessert,” MGH said in the statement. “She touched the lives of those around her in lasting and meaningful ways, and she will be deeply missed.”