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Death of Igor Katkov

by: Nicole Evans
Category: Member News
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Sep
26
Igor KatkovIt is with sadness that we must inform members and the wider cryobiology community of the sudden and unexpected death of Prof. Igor Katkov in early September 2019. At the time of his death Prof. Katkov was serving a term as Governor on the Society for Cryobiology's Board. 

Prof. Katkov received his education as a Biophysicist in the former “Cryobiological Capital of the World” Kharkov, Ukraine (to use Igor's wording). After completing his PhD on the correlation between the tolerance of bovine sperm to electroporation and freezing, Prof. Katkov undertook a post-doctoral fellowship with Peter Mazur at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (1996-1998), researching osmotic and cryotolerance of mouse sperm. He then went on to work with Victor Bronshtein in San Diego, researching high temperature vitrification by drying without lyophilization. 

From 2001 - 2007 he worked at the University of California, San Diego (department of Pediatrics), developing a technique of freezing adherent pluripotent stem cells directly in multi-well dishes. During this time he developed a novel Relativistic Permeability approach, which calculates the exact level of maximum shrinkage during freezing and swelling during dilution. He was the first person to show that a permeable solute may behave paradoxically and have a bi-phasic pattern: moving in and then out during addition (hypersaturation effect) and out and back in the cell during dilution (hyperdiliution effect). In 2001 Prof. Katkov also founded Celltronix and served as Chief Scientific Officer, and from 2015 he combined this with the role of Head of the Laboratory of Amorphous State at Belgorod University (Russia) - serving in both roles until his death. Prof. Katkov’s most recent work has been the development of the concept of and building equipment for kinetic vitrification by hyperfast cooling, namely designing the K-VF KrioBlast™ in cooperation with V. F. Bolyukh from Ukraine.

In 2012 Prof. Katkov edited Current Frontiers in Cryobiology and Current Frontiers in Cryopreservation, the first major update to cryobiology literature since the publication of Life in the Frozen State (2004). During his career he published more than 160 research articles, and was granted 5 patents in the United States and Russia. 

To send a message of condolence please contact Nicole Evans who will pass all messages on to Prof. Katkov's family.

In Memoriam - Alan P. MacKenzie

by: Unknown
Category: Member News
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Mar
21

In Memoriam - Alan P. MacKenzie 

Alan_MacKenzieThe Society for Cryobiology was saddened to hear of the recent passing of Dr. Alan P. MacKenzie, President of the Society for Cryobiology 1977-1978. Dr. MacKenzie was a lifelong supporter and member of the Society, joining in the Society's founding year - 1964, and continuing his affiliation with the Society throughout his lifetime. 

Alan trained in chemistry at the University of London and enjoyed a long career in freeze-drying from 1959. He published more than 60 papers and a number of book chapters on lyophilization, and lectured and taught the subject in both the US and Europe for more than 25 years. He enjoyed a close relationship with the Center for Pharmaceutical Processing Research (CPPR), acting in a number of capacities during their annual meetings, including as keynote speaker on several occasions. 

During his career Alan held posts at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and from 1976 - 1990 was based at the University of Washington in the School of Medicine, Faculty of Bioengineering. From 1990 onward he consulted full time for the pharmaceutical and diagnostic industries. 

Alan's research interests included aqueous and other solution chemistries, product formulations, freeze-drying cycle development and validation, process scale-up and technology transfer.

Please send remembrances and condolences to Executive Director, Nicole Evans and she will pass them on to Alan's daughter, Sarah, to share with the family.  

Peter Mazur Memorial Website

by: Unknown
Category: Member News
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Jun
19

Peter Mazur Memorial Website 

Peter_MazurFritz Kleinhans has recently unveiled a memorial website for the late Peter Mazur. Fritz has invited members of the Society for Cryobiology to submit photographs or remembrances for inclusion on the site. 

Peter Mazur (1928-2015) was a pioneer and leading figure in the world of cryobiology for over 50 years. He was a founding member of the Society for Cryobiology and served as President from 1973-1974. He served numerous terms as Governor and was active at board meeting even while not in office (no one argued with Peter!). He was also a member of the editorial board from 1967 until his death.

Close friends and colleagues of Peter's, Fritz Kleinhans and David Pegg, wrote a touching obituary which was published in the April 2016 issue of Cryobiology. The obituary, along with photos and details of Peter's most important research can all be found on the memorial website.  

Membership to the Society for Cryobiology is open to students, individuals, and organizations who are engaged in and support scientific research in low temperature biology and medicine. 

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