Albert Frey-Wyssling
Encyclopedia
Albert Friedrich Frey-Wyssling (November 8, 1900 – August 30, 1988) was a Swiss botanist who pioneered submicroscopic morphology and helped initiate the study of molecular biology
.
Frey-Wyssling was born Albert Frey in Küssnacht, Switzerland
on Lake Geneva
, where his father worked at the teacher training college of the Canton of Zürich
teaching chemistry, geology, and anthropology. One of his grandfathers and several of his aunts were also teachers, and as a result thought that his own talent would be to teach. He entered the Realgymnasium in Zürich
after six years of elementary school, and passed the graduation examination in 1919. He then went on to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
(ETH) to join the faculty of natural sciences, intending to specialize in botany. Although during this time Zürich was home to some great botanists, he realized his specific talent was not in taxonomy but rather the study of plants through the fundamental sciences of chemistry, physics, and mathematics. When he needed to choose a field for his thesis, he decided upon the Department of General Botany and Plant Physiology. Influenced by his teacher, he used methods of crystallography
to find a common species of crystals in plant cells. He received a degree as doctor of natural sciences in 1924.
He later took work which allowed him to gain experience with plant anatomy, microscopy, and plant physiology, before returning to the ETH as a research assistant in 1926. There he was asked to research wood by Paul Jaccard
, department head and at the time a wood anatomist. However the salary of research assistants at this time was low, at least too low to get married and have a family. When he was offered a position of plant physiologist in Medan
at rubber research station AVROS, he accepted and applied for leave as a lecturer. It was at this time that he married Margrit Wyssling, before leaving for Sumatra
for four years. Frey took on his wife's name as Frey-Wyssling due to how common the name of Frey is in Switzerland. In 1932 he returned to Zurich after an appointment of lecturer at the ETH in the Department of General Botany, succeeding Jaccard. During the previous six years he had established his own school of study with both graduate and undergraduate students looking into cellular structure. In 1937 he went on leave to Vienna
which introduced him to X-ray diffraction techniques
which he later used in his studies.
Frey-Wyssling taught a range of subjects on plant morphology and physiology. His academic career reached its peak in 1957 when he was appointed Rector of the ETH, and held the position for four years. He also frequented the International Botanical Congress
es, and often was made a guest-professor, including giving lectures at Harvard and Cornell
, among other places. He retired from his teaching position in 1970, but continued to publish and attend congresses, as well as stay in contact with his successors.
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
.
Frey-Wyssling was born Albert Frey in Küssnacht, Switzerland
Küssnacht
Küssnacht am Rigi is a district and municipality in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland, consisting of three villages: Küssnacht, Immensee and Merlischachen...
on Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva or Lake Léman is a lake in Switzerland and France. It is one of the largest lakes in Western Europe. 59.53 % of it comes under the jurisdiction of Switzerland , and 40.47 % under France...
, where his father worked at the teacher training college of the Canton of Zürich
Canton of Zürich
The Canton of Zurich has a population of . The canton is located in the northeast of Switzerland and the city of Zurich is its capital. The official language is German, but people speak the local Swiss German dialect called Züritüütsch...
teaching chemistry, geology, and anthropology. One of his grandfathers and several of his aunts were also teachers, and as a result thought that his own talent would be to teach. He entered the Realgymnasium in Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
after six years of elementary school, and passed the graduation examination in 1919. He then went on to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
ETH Zurich
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich or ETH Zürich is an engineering, science, technology, mathematics and management university in the City of Zurich, Switzerland....
(ETH) to join the faculty of natural sciences, intending to specialize in botany. Although during this time Zürich was home to some great botanists, he realized his specific talent was not in taxonomy but rather the study of plants through the fundamental sciences of chemistry, physics, and mathematics. When he needed to choose a field for his thesis, he decided upon the Department of General Botany and Plant Physiology. Influenced by his teacher, he used methods of crystallography
Crystallography
Crystallography is the experimental science of the arrangement of atoms in solids. The word "crystallography" derives from the Greek words crystallon = cold drop / frozen drop, with its meaning extending to all solids with some degree of transparency, and grapho = write.Before the development of...
to find a common species of crystals in plant cells. He received a degree as doctor of natural sciences in 1924.
He later took work which allowed him to gain experience with plant anatomy, microscopy, and plant physiology, before returning to the ETH as a research assistant in 1926. There he was asked to research wood by Paul Jaccard
Paul Jaccard
Paul Jaccard was a professor of botany and plant physiology at the ETH Zurich. He studied at the University of Lausanne and ETH Zurich...
, department head and at the time a wood anatomist. However the salary of research assistants at this time was low, at least too low to get married and have a family. When he was offered a position of plant physiologist in Medan
Medan
- Demography :The city is Indonesia's fourth most populous after Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung, and Indonesia's largest city outside of Java island. Much of the population lies outside its city limits, especially in Deli Serdang....
at rubber research station AVROS, he accepted and applied for leave as a lecturer. It was at this time that he married Margrit Wyssling, before leaving for Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
for four years. Frey took on his wife's name as Frey-Wyssling due to how common the name of Frey is in Switzerland. In 1932 he returned to Zurich after an appointment of lecturer at the ETH in the Department of General Botany, succeeding Jaccard. During the previous six years he had established his own school of study with both graduate and undergraduate students looking into cellular structure. In 1937 he went on leave to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
which introduced him to X-ray diffraction techniques
X-ray scattering techniques
X-ray scattering techniques are a family of non-destructive analytical techniques which reveal information about the crystallographic structure, chemical composition, and physical properties of materials and thin films...
which he later used in his studies.
Frey-Wyssling taught a range of subjects on plant morphology and physiology. His academic career reached its peak in 1957 when he was appointed Rector of the ETH, and held the position for four years. He also frequented the International Botanical Congress
International Botanical Congress
International Botanical Congress is a large-scale meeting of botanists in all scientific fields, from all over the world. Authorized by the International Association of Botanical and Mycological Societies , congresses are held every six years with the venue circulating around the world. The XVIII...
es, and often was made a guest-professor, including giving lectures at Harvard and Cornell
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, among other places. He retired from his teaching position in 1970, but continued to publish and attend congresses, as well as stay in contact with his successors.