The life-work of Prof. MUDr. Zdenek Lojda, Dr.Sc., Dr. Med. et Iur. h.c.

Professor Zdenek Lojda, MD., Dr.Sc., Dr. Med.h.c., Dr. Jur. h.c., vice-rector emeritus of the Charles University and director emeritus of the Institute of Histology and Embryology of the 1st Medical Faculty of the Charles University in Prague died on the 24th April 2004. Born in Trebíc (in a local maternal hospital on the 7th December 1927) he grew up in Moravské Budejovice where he graduated from a primary and secondary school (he passed out each class as well as the leaving exam at the local gymnasium in 1946 cum laude). He was growing up in an inspiring atmosphere of a family of a professor at gymnasium that helped him to form his fundamental moral attitude and to gain high knowledge of an almost Renaissance comprehension. He was a gifted linguist (he spoke fluently several languages including Latin) and musician (he did community singing among others) and he was interested in natural sciences. In 1946 he enrolled for the medical faculty and coincidentally he was grouped among students that completed histology and embryology at the Institute of Embryology headed by professor Zdenek Frankenberger, MD., who had recognised his interest in this field of study. The young student gave himself and his free time to the work of an unqualified lab-worker and only later he became assistant conducting practical tutorials. He took his degree cum laude in 1952 and he received certificate of competence because of his excellent results. He showed his preoccupation with histology (strongly influenced by the personality of professor Frankenberger) after the graduation when he entered the job of the assistant professor at the Institute of Embryology and he stayed there until 1961. When he was about to decide which problems he should target, professor Frankenberger drew his attention to a very interesting part of histology that was just in advance and that was the use of diazonic salts for formation of colour reaction product demonstrating enzyme activity in tissues. In 1962 professor Frankenberger retired and Lojda left the Institute of Embryology for the 4th internal clinic to work in the Laboratory of Angiology housed at the 1st (Hlava) Institute of Pathologic Anatomy. This step influenced Lojda's professional occupations: in the Laboratory of Angiology he studied enzymes of blood vessel wall; the problems in gastroenterology solved at the 4th internal clinic and teaching hospital brought him to issues connected with enzyme garniture of the intestinal mucosal epithelium; his engagement at the Hlava Institute where he worked as well as house officer and later as pathology teacher caused that he subordinated his interest in enzyme garniture of various tissues to study and explanation of pathological processes using functional morphology. In years 1966 to 1975 he earned his master degree in pathology, he habilitated in pathology and was promoted to a professorship in pathology.