Otto Bode (biologist)

Otto Wilhelm Ludwig Bode (born May 5, 1913 in Stadtoldendorf ; † October 7, 1981 in Braunschweig ) was a German biologist , virologist and university professor .

Live and act

Otto Bode was born on May 5, 1913 as the son of a teacher in Stadtoldendorf. He attended the Staatliche Reform-Gymnasium in Holzminden , where he joined the local Primaner-Verein. After passing the Abitur in 1932, he began studying biology, mathematics and physics at the Georg-August University in Göttingen . There he became a member of the Holzminda fraternity . After passing his exams in 1938 and his doctorate in 1940, he completed his military service in World War II . This was quickly ended for him by a severe wound to his leg, so that after his recovery he started working with his doctoral supervisor Professor Richard Harder in the Botanical Institute of the University of Göttingen. He then switched to the department for viral pathology of plants at the Biological Reichsanstalt in Berlin-Dahlem as a scientific assistant , became head of a branch of the Reichsanstalt in Aschersleben towards the end of the war and came to the Institute for Small Animal Breeding in Celle in 1945 . In 1954 he took over the management of the Institute for Viral Diseases of the Federal Biological Institute in Braunschweig , where he was appointed director and professor in 1969. In 1978 he retired. He died on October 7, 1981 in Braunschweig.

He was scientifically active mainly in the field of plant virology and published numerous publications on various virological problems. His main merit can be seen in his research on potato virology, to which he devoted himself in particular since the late 1950s, after the potato industry and potato cultivation were threatened by extremely dangerous viruses.

From the beginning he was a member of the EAPR (European Association for Potato Research), whose 'Virology' department he played a key role in developing.

Fonts

• The effect of the quality and quantity of light on the chloropaste dyes in Helodea canadensis. Göttingen 1938. (together with Richard Harder and Wilhelm Simonis)
• Assimilation, respiration and plastid pigments in different colored light raised Fontinalis plants. Göttingen 1940, dissertation.

honors and awards

• 1978 Silver Max Eyth commemorative coin
• 1979 Federal Cross of Merit on ribbon

literature

• Göttingen biologists 1737-1945. Biographical-bibliographical list of Göttingen biologists. Göttingen 1988, p. 31.
• HL Weidemann: Obituary Dr. Otto Bode. In: Potato Research. Journal of the European Society of Potato Research. Vol. 24, 1981. pp. 458-459.