Bohumil Sekla
Encyclopedia
Bohumil Sekla was a Czech biologist. He specialised in genetics
and was known as an expert in determining parenthood by the biological-hereditary method.
Sekla studied at Charles University in Prague
, first history, then psychology and finally biology. After his studies he worked at the university and became one of the founders of modern genetics in Czechoslovakia. During 1933-45 Sekla was the leader of Czechoslovakian eugenic society (Československá eugenická společnost). During the 1950s he needed to defend genetics against Lysenkoism
. When this theory got discredited he got the chance to establish and lead modern research institutes (Department of Human and Medical Genetics of the Biological Institute in 1969 and Department of Medical Genetics of the Teaching Hospital in 1970). Due to political activity during Prague Spring
Sekla was forced into retirement but he continued to work as physician-specialist until 1985.
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
and was known as an expert in determining parenthood by the biological-hereditary method.
Sekla studied at Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
, first history, then psychology and finally biology. After his studies he worked at the university and became one of the founders of modern genetics in Czechoslovakia. During 1933-45 Sekla was the leader of Czechoslovakian eugenic society (Československá eugenická společnost). During the 1950s he needed to defend genetics against Lysenkoism
Lysenkoism
Lysenkoism, or Lysenko-Michurinism, also denotes the biological inheritance principle which Trofim Lysenko subscribed to and which derive from theories of the heritability of acquired characteristics, a body of biological inheritance theory which departs from Mendelism and that Lysenko named...
. When this theory got discredited he got the chance to establish and lead modern research institutes (Department of Human and Medical Genetics of the Biological Institute in 1969 and Department of Medical Genetics of the Teaching Hospital in 1970). Due to political activity during Prague Spring
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
Sekla was forced into retirement but he continued to work as physician-specialist until 1985.