It is with great sadness to inform that Professor Włodzimierz Korohoda, an eminent cell biologist and a long-time friend of the Nencki Institute, passed away on April 24, 2026.

Throughout his professional career, Professor Korohoda was associated with the Jagiellonian University, where he earned a master’s degree in biology in 1959, Ph.D. in 1963, D.Sc. in 1971, the title of professor, and in 1991, the title of full professor. After receiving his doctorate, he was awarded a British Council scholarship, which enabled him to conduct research at the Chester Beatty Royal Institute of Cancer Research in London. This research resulted in numerous publications, including papers published in Nature. Following his habilitation, he undertook a research fellowship at the University of Bonn as part of a grant from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Professor Korohoda’s research focused on the mechanisms of cell motility, transport across the cell membrane, and the function of the cytoskeleton. His publication record includes over 150 original scientific articles and review papers, as well as eight academic textbooks. Thanks to his openness and passion, he was able to actively integrate scientific communities. Among other achievements, the collaboration with physicians that he initiated led to the development of new, effective methods of skin cell culture for therapeutic purposes.

He was the founder and long-time head of the Department of Cell Biology (1979–2005), a co-founder and later director of the Institute of Molecular Biology within the Faculty of Biology and Earth Sciences at the Jagiellonian University, and also served as chair of the Scientific Council of that Institute. It should be emphasized that the Institute of Molecular Biology was the nucleus of the Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Biotechnology, which separated from the Faculty of Biology and Earth Sciences in 2002. After retiring, he continued to conduct research almost until the very end. Professor Korohoda supervised 21 doctoral dissertations (many of his students continue to work in research in Poland and abroad) and over a hundred master’s theses.

In addition to his experimental work, Professor Korohoda participated in the activities of numerous academic bodies. Among other things, he was a member of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences, a co-founder and long-time president (and later honorary member) of the Polish Society for Cell Biology, a member of the Committee on Human Pathology and Molecular Genetics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, as well as a member and chair of the Committee on Cytobiology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (currently the Committee on Molecular Cell Biology). For his contributions, he was awarded the title of honorary chair and honorary member of both Committees.

He also served on the scientific councils of many institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences, including a continuous membership for over two decades (1970–1991) in the Scientific Council of the Nencki Institute. He reviewed a wide range of doctoral dissertations and habilitation theses at the Nencki Institute. Together with researchers from the Nencki Institute, he organized numerous conferences and scientific meetings. The collaboration between the two institutions that he initiated over five decades ago continues to this day through his students and colleagues.

He was an outstanding scientist, a co-founder of modern cell biology, a passionate, incredibly colorful, and kind-hearted person. His passing is undoubtedly a tremendous loss for the entire academic community.

We extend our deepest condolences to his family and colleagues at the Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Biotechnology at the Jagiellonian University.

Photo: from Kosmos 49(3), 2000