Past events

An Evening in Memory of Zbigniew Darzynkiewicz, MD, Ph.D.

Thursday, November 18, 2021, at 7:00pm

On February 28, 2021, the Foundation's Trustee and founder of the KF Collegium of Eminent Scientists, Zbigniew Darzynkiewicz, M.D., Ph.D., passed away. We have lost an outstanding scientist, a Polish patriot, and a devoted friend of the Foundation.

Now, as the Foundation has finally reopened for live events, let us come together to honor this remarkable man and salute his life so well lived and his so many achievements.

Please join us for the evening in memory of Dr. Zbigniew Darzynkiewicz and be part of the celebration that echos his kind and inspiring presence. Bring your precious stories and memories to share.

This is a hybrid event, available to both in-person and online attendees. 

Thursday, November 18, 2021, 7 PM 

The Kosciuszko Foundation: 15 E 65th Street, New York, NY 10065

Proof of vaccination is required to take part in the event. 

Kindly RSVP/ request a Zoom link at: ezadworna@thekf.org, (212) 734-2130

ZBIGNIEW DARZYNKIEWICZ, M.D., PH.D.

(1936-2021)

Dr. Darzynkiewicz's contributions to the Kosciuszko Foundation and science are many. We remember him as an active member of the Board of Trustees and as the guiding force behind establishing the Foundation's Collegium of Eminent Scientists of Polish Origin and Ancestry. Dr. Darzynkiewicz was born in 1936 in Dzisna, Poland. He pursued his interest in science and medicine at the Medical University of Warsaw, where he received M.D. and Ph.D. degrees with honors. His post-graduate scholarships were at the State University of New York at Buffalo and the Medical Nobel Institute of Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.

Subsequently, he was a Member of the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Research Institute and the Professor of Cell Biology and Genetics at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (1980-90). He was recruited in 1990 to establish the Brander Cancer Research Institute at New York Medical College (NYMC) in Valhalla. Dr. Darzynkiewicz spent the rest of his career at NYMC as Professor of Pathology, Medicine and Microbiology/Immunology and Director of the Brander Cancer Research Institute.

Dr. Darzynkiewicz's scientific accomplishments are many. His studies yielded significant contributions to understanding the biology of tumor cells. He directed his efforts at the phenomenon of programmed cell death or apoptosis.  Here he made substantial contributions to our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in cell death. Using flow cytometry, he developed analytical tools to gain greater insight into the process. Dr. Darzynkiewicz's scientific output was extraordinary. He published over 780 much-cited (52,000 times) peer-reviewed articles, 15 books and was granted eight U.S. patents.  He was always faithful to his Polish roots and responsibility to Polish science and mentored many Polish scientists in his laboratory.

His outstanding contribution to the Kosciuszko Foundation was establishing the Collegium of Eminent Scientists of Polish Origin and Ancestry. As an accomplished Polish scientist and a devoted Polish patriot, he recognized that many scientists of Polish origin are working in the United States and making significant contributions to their respective fields. Today, the Collegium, created by Dr. Darzynkiewicz, and operating under the aegis of the Foundation, comprises nearly 450 members, including Nobel-Prize winning scientists, and serves as an active platform to recognize and showcase their achievements to the world.

Members of the Polish community and beyond will remember a dear friend, a loyal son of Poland, and a distinguished scientist. He is also remembered for his inspiring personality and his enthusiasm, kindness, and collegiality. We are all the better for having Dr. Zbigniew Darzynkiewicz touch our lives, and we miss him.

By Hanna Chroboczek Kelker, Ph.D. 

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