Bodenstein Lecture Series
Upcoming Lecture: February 6, 2026
We are pleased to announce that Kenneth Poss, PhD, Director of Regenerative Biology at Morgridge Institute and Professor of Cell and Regenerative Biology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, will be joining us as this year’s guest speaker for the Bodenstein Lecture Series. The lecture is held every other year and includes a dinner reception for the entire biology department, colleagues, family, and friends.
The Poss Lab aims to elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of innate regeneration in model systems like zebrafish, and to use this information to improve the poor regenerative capacity of human tissues like the heart, spinal cord, and limbs. Visit the Poss Lab to learn more.
Lecture Details
Dinner Reception Details
About Dietrich H. F. A. Bodenstein (1908–1984)
Lewis and Clark Professor of Biology, University of Virginia
Dietrich Bodenstein was a pioneering insect physiologist and developmental biologist who helped demonstrate how hormones regulate insect development. Born in East Prussia, he developed an early passion for natural history that shaped his lifelong scientific pursuits.
After training in Königsberg, Berlin, and Freiburg, Bodenstein held research positions in Europe and the United States before joining the University of Virginia in 1960 as Lewis and Clark Professor and Chair of Biology. During his tenure, he played a central role in expanding the department’s programs in genetics, biochemistry, and developmental biology.
Elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1958 and honored with the Alexander von Humboldt Award in 1977, Bodenstein was widely admired for both his scientific insight and his mentorship of students. His legacy continues to influence the fields of developmental biology and insect physiology.
Selected Honors & Memberships
- Ph.D., University of Freiburg, 1953
- Member, National Academy of Sciences, 1958
- Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1961
- Alexander von Humboldt Award, 1977
- Member, American Society of Zoologists; Genetics Society of America; American Society for Cell Biology; among others
Adapted from James Murray, “Dietrich H. F. A. Bodenstein,” Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences (1994).
References
Murray, J. (1994). Dietrich H. F. A. Bodenstein. In Biographical memoirs: Volume 63 (pp. 48–67). National Academy of Sciences.
Konigsberg, I. R. (1984, January 17). Memorial address for Dietrich H. F. A. Bodenstein. University of Virginia.