Jürgen Kiefer (biophysicist)

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Jürgen Kiefer (born November 29, 1936 in Hagen ; † August 25, 2017 ) was a German biophysicist .

Life

After studying physics in Giessen, Munich and Berlin, Jürgen Kiefer joined the newly created Institute for Biophysics at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen (JLU) in 1962, he received his doctorate in 1965, and his habilitation in biophysics followed in 1970. Together Alfred Screw and Ernst-Ludwig Sattler, he helped set up the radiation center at JLU.

From 1971 to 2002 he was professor of biophysics in the then physics department at JLU and since 1985 has held a second professorship for general radiology in the veterinary medicine department. In addition to other stays abroad, he took on a guest professorship at the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria, as an expert for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 1980 , where he initiated a course in radiation biophysics and radiation protection as well as long-term cooperation between the universities. Even after his retirement he passed on his knowledge in radiation protection courses for veterinarians and veterinary specialists.

Services

One of his focal points was researching the connections between physical radiation effects and biological phenomena. In the 1970s, he carried out his first biological experiments at the then new UNILAC ion accelerator of the GSI in Darmstadt. Over time, the "heavy particles" and the interest in space radiation added and led to close cooperation with the American and European space organizations NASA and ESA - until 2003 as chairman of their "Radiation Advisory Group".

Another focus was studies on the effects of ultraviolet radiation, among other things against the background of the increasing destruction of the ozone layer by fluorine-chlorine hydrocarbons since the 1970s and the resulting shift in the short-wave limit of the solar spectrum.

From 1998 Kiefer was a member of the Radiation Protection Commission of the Federal Republic of Germany as well as a member of various high-ranking national and international expert commissions in the field of radiation protection, spokesman for the "Radiation Physics and Radiation Effects" association of the German Physical Society and founding member, later chairman of the Society for Biological Radiation Research .

Through his research he has prepared many modern developments in the field of cellular radiation biology, radiation protection and tumor therapy with ion beams. Teaching the basics of radiology to the students was very important to him. In the discussion about the effects of radiation in the era of the emergence of mobile communications, he was also a much sought-after expert in the media.

Awards

His outstanding services to radiation research were honored with the award of the Friedrich Dessauer Medal in 2003 by the Joint Committee on Radiation Research (GAST) and the Society of Friends and Supporters of the Röntgen Museum and the Ulrich Hagen Prize of the Society for Biological Radiation Research in 2006.

Works

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Jürgen Kiefer . In: Gießener Anzeiger's mourning portal, accessed on September 8, 2017
  2. ↑ together with Alfred screw: The radiation center Gießen. . In: University of Giessen sheets , 1, Issue 1, 1968, p 34 urn : NBN: de: hebis: 26-opus-93107
  3. ↑ Radiation, DNA and the immune system . In: Informationsdienst Wissenschaft, September 23, 2016, accessed on September 8, 2017
  4. ^ Friedrich Dessauer Medal for Prof. Jürgen Kiefer . In: Informationsdienst Wissenschaft, December 8, 2004, accessed on September 8, 2017
  5. ↑ Ulrich Hagen Prize for Prof. Jürgen Kiefer . In: Informationsdienst Wissenschaft, June 13, 2006, accessed on September 8, 2017
personal data
SURNAME Kiefer, Jürgen
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German biophysicist
DATE OF BIRTH November 29, 1936
PLACE OF BIRTH Hagen
DATE OF DEATH August 25, 2017