It is with great sorrow that we have to inform everyone that Prof. Dr. Frank Seela passed away on September 7. Frank was born in Dresden on November 28, 1939. He earned a PhD from the University of Gottingen working with H. Brockmann on the synthesis of Actinomycins. Frank caried out his postdoctoral research at Yale University in the lab of M Crothers before becoming a research associate at the University of Marburg in Germany. He habilitated in 1974 at the University of Paderborn where he remained as a professor until 1985. He then went on to be a guest scientist in the lab of F Cramer in Gottingen from 1973 – 1976. In 1986 he became a Full Professor at the University of Osnabrück, where he remained for the rest of his career. After his retirement he then led a lab in the Center for Nanotechnology in Munster, Germany.
Scientifically, Frank will be remembered for his systematic work on the synthesis and the study of the physicochemical properties of base-modified nucleosides and oligonucleotides with a special emphasis on fluorescent base modifications. He also focused on the recognition patterns of higher ordered oligonucleotide structures such as triplexes and quadruplexes. Moreover, Frank was intrigued by parallel hybridizing duplexes. In addition to his fundamental work in these research fields, he contributed to the application of oligonucleotides in DNA nanoparticles and DNA microarrays. Over his career, Frank published nearly 600 manuscripts which have been highly cited.
Frank served the International Society of Nucleosides, Nucleotides and Oligonucleotides (IS3NA) as President in the period 2005-2006. He was recognized for his scientific contribution to the field by IS3NA with the Imbach-Townsend Award in 2012. Frank regularly attended the International Round Table and the Gordon Research Conference on Nucleosides, Nucleotides and Oligonucleotides, and many of us enjoyed his insightful comments during the discussions at these meetings, as well as his scholarly lecturers. Frank is survived by his wife Brigitte. Frank will be very much missed by all of us.
So sorry to hear this sad news. Frank and his work will always be remebered. My sincere condolences to his family.
I am truly sorry to learn of Frank’s passing. He will be remembered by all IS3NA members for the superb quality of his work and the clarity of his presentations. A true professor indeed. May he rest in peace and my sincere condolences to his family.
Sorry to hear of Frank's passing. Condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.