[RASMB] Joachim Behlke

[HGSR (Holger Martin Strauss)]

Dear all,

it is with great sorrow that we have learned of the death of our esteemed colleague, Joachim Behlke, ending a scientific career that has been connected to the analytical ultracentrifuge for more than 40 years. Joachim has written or contributed to over 160 publications, covering, amongst others, protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions, crystallisation theory, thermodynamic non-ideality as well as theoretical aspects of data analysis, where he applied statistical thermodynamics to sedimentation equilibrium data and developed analytical, approximate solutions to the Lamm-equation. He was the organiser of the 9th international AUC-symposium in Berlin/Buch and a regular attendee of these meetings, ever since the fall of the wall. In recognition of his achievements, Joachim has been awarded the Svedberg-medal at the AUC-conference in Uppsalla in 2009. One could discuss essentially any AUC-topic with Joachim, only to find out that he had already worked on it - 10, 20 or more years ago, testimony to the width and breadth of his scientific thinking.

Born on the 19th of October 1934 in Biesental, close to Berlin, he studied chemistry in Greifswald between 1954-1960 where he also obtained his PhD-degree in 1964. He then joined the "Zentralinstitut für Molekularbiologie" in Berlin/Buch in 1971, one of the most prestigious and internationally respected research institutions of the former GDR. After the fall of the wall, Joachim continued his career at the Humboldt-University of Berlin and the Max-Delbrück-Centre (MDC) in Berlin/Buch. He went on to work there after his emeritation in 1999 and has advised students and co-operators until shortly before his death on the 5th of april 2011.

As a collegue, I always enjoyed to discuss even the most hidden details of a sedimentation data analysis over a coffee or beer with Joachim. We will miss you and your insights.

Being a young graduate student eager to learn the details of AUC from Joachim, instead of being taken by the hand and lead the easy way, I was confronted with his statement that "you know, every protein is different". Words of wisdom, indeed.

Helmut Cölfen and Holger Strauss

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