Professor Marian Truszczyński – obituary

Abstract

Professor Marian Truszczyński, D.V.M., Ph.D., D.Sc., Dr. hc mult., died on June 8, 2020, aged 90. He was a veterinarian, a distinguished microbiologist, immunologist and epizootiologist of international renown. Professor Truszczyński's career started in 1953 when he graduated from the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the University and the University of Technology in Wrocław, Poland, and joined the staff of the State Institute of Veterinary Sciences in Puławy. He earned the PhD degree in 1959 and the D.Sc. degree in 1963. In 1976 he was elected to the Polish Academy of Sciences as a corresponding member and in
 
1989, as an ordinary member. Professor Truszczyński held high profile positions in the Academy, including Vice President in the 1996–1998 term and Chair of the Medical Sciences Division in the 1999–2002 term. He was instrumental in establishing the Lublin Branch of the Academy and served as Vice-President of the branch until his death. Professor Truszczyński dedicated his life to advancement of veterinary sciences in Poland and across the world. He spent his entire professional life, which spanned over six decades, at the State Institute of Veterinary Sciences in Puławy. For 29 years, he served as the institute's Director. The institute was Professor passion and its success a life-long mission. Through his research, education and administrative activities there, he shaped the science and practice of veterinary medicine in Poland. He also left his mark on the international stage. From 1968 to 2003, he served as Poland's representative to the World Organization of Animal Health, was President of its Commission for Standards and the head editor of its Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines. In recognition of his professional accomplishments, he was elected a foreign member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry, and an honorary member of the Royal Society of Medicine. This short commemorative note by a student, colleague and close collaborator recalls the life of Professor Truszczyński and pays a warm tribute to his commitment to the veterinary medicine profession and its members, to his dedication to the Institute of Veterinary Science in Puławy and its staff, and to his exceptional work ethos, relentless commitment to quality, and his generosity to all who were growing under his tutelage.