Prof. Dr. Beatrice L. Pool-Zobel in memoriam
On May 13th 2008 Prof. Dr. Beatrice Pool-Zobel, head of the Department of Nutritional Toxicology, Institute for Nutrition, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, passed away at the age of 59 years. She died of a malicious disease after a very short time so her loss is still difficult to understand.
Beatrice L. Pool-Zobel was born in 1949 in Frankfurt /Main. After her M.Sc. in Biology at the University of Heidelberg, she received her PhD in 1977. The subject of her PhD thesis, metabolism of carcinogenic triazenes, was the basis for a close connection to the field of toxicology accompanying her throughout her whole life in science. Consequently she habilitated for the field of genetic toxicology with the thesis „The importance of mutagenicity testing using bacteria in chemical carcinogenesis“ at the University of Heidelberg in 1985.
After having worked on carcinogenesis and chemoprevention at the DKFZ in Heidelberg from 1977 to 1990, she started to work at the Federal Research Institute for Nutrition in Karlsruhe. Two years later she was appointed to unscheduled professor at the University of Heidelberg. Here, she gained teaching experience, which she employed with passion in her position as full professor at the Department of Nutritional Toxicology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, starting in 1998.
Prof. Pool-Zobel was a dedicated university teacher, high appreciated by her students. In a short time she built a highly motivated, biomedically oriented group, successfully working on molecular toxicology, chemoprevention and biomarker development.
Beatrice Pool-Zobel left lasting marks as winner of several awards, as a member of a lot of national and international boards and societies, as author of numerous publications, as appreciated reviewer, but also as organizer of congresses and supervisor of young scientists and dedicated university teacher.
Prof. Beatrice L. Pool-Zobel lived for science and inspired with her optimistic way to solve problems.
We will always remember her with the greatest valuation for her work and admiration of her personality.
PD Dr. Michael Glei
Last updated: 2 Apr 09
