Professor Maria Podbielkowska – In Memoriam

Dr habil. Maria Podbielkowska – botanist, cytologist, and long-time academic teacher at the Department of Plant Anatomy and Cytology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw – passed away on August 27, 2024, at the age of 90.

The research profile of the Department of Plant Anatomy and Cytology (formerly the Department of General Botany), led by Rev. Prof. Józef Szuleta, encompassed various aspects of plant growth and development. One of the main areas of Dr Podbielkowska’s research, presented in numerous publications, was the study of the mechanisms by which plant-derived mitosis inhibitors—primarily coumarins—affect cellular processes. She also investigated the impact of biotic and abiotic factors on the growth and function of plant meristematic cells.

She was an excellent educator, highly respected and well-liked by students, and supervised many diploma theses. She is remembered by generations of students as the lecturer for plant anatomy classes. She is also well known as the author of numerous biology books published by WSiP, especially high school biology textbooks.

For many years, she served on the board of the Warsaw Branch of the Polish Botanical Society.

She was the wife of Professor Zbigniew Podbielkowski, an ecologist and phytosociologist, also a professor at our Faculty.

Professor Maria Podbielkowska had been retired for over 20 years, yet she remained in close contact with many of her colleagues until the very end.

Former and current staff, friends and colleagues
from the Institute of Experimental Plant Biology and Biotechnology
Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw