It is with great regret that we inform you that on September 30, 2019, prof. Lech Wojtczak died. Polish science suffered a great loss – one of the most outstanding scientists, the Father of Polish bioenergetics, passed away.
Professor Lech Wojtczak devoted his entire scientific life to the Institute of Experimental Biology. M. Nencki PAN, where he worked since 1947. He obtained his PhD in biochemistry in 1954 and the title of professor in 1967. Professor Wojtczak is the author or co-author of two hundred scientific papers. He supervised 15 doctors of science. His students include three subsequent directors of the Institute: prof. Maciej Nałęcz, prof. Jerzy Duszyński and prof. Adam Szewczyk. From 1971, Professor Wojtczak was a corresponding member of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and from 1989 a full member of the Polish Academy of Sciences. He served, among others, function: head of the Department of Biochemistry of the Nencki Institute (1968–71); chairman of the Cytobiology Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences (1972–75); chairman of the Scientific Council of the Nencki Institute (1990–92); editor (since 1981) and then (since 1994) chairman of the Editorial Board of „Acta Biochimica Polonica”; delegate of the Polish Biochemical Society to the FEBS authorities (1975–80, 2006–08).
