Professor Julian Liniecki, the doyen of nuclear medicine in Poland, co-founder as well as first and long-term (1998–2010) Editor-in-Chief of Nuclear Medicine Review – Central &amp; Eastern Europe passed away on November 25, 2017 at the age of 87

memoriam, In

English

Via Medica Journals

71
Nuclear Medicine Review 2018, 21, 1: 71–72
DOI: 10.5603/NMR.2018.0015
Copyright © 2018 Via Medica
ISSN 1506–9680
www.journals.viamedica.pl/nuclear_medicine_review
Review
In memoriam:  
Professor Julian Liniecki
Professor Julian Liniecki, the doyen of 
nuclear medicine in Poland, co-founder 
as well as first and long-term (1998–2010) 
Editor-in-Chief of Nuclear Medicine Review 
– Central & Eastern Europe passed away on 
November 25, 2017 at the age of 87.
Julian Liniecki was born on March 13, 
1930 in Lodz to a medical family. He ob-
tained his medical degree as summa cum 
laude from the University of Lodz in 1953. 
Then he completed his postgraduate intern-
ship at the Institute of Occupational Medi-
cine in Lodz, where he was rewarded a PhD 
degree in medical sciences (1959). During 
this period he also completed his speciali-
zation training in Internal Medicine (1956)
Then, Julian Liniecki started his research 
on the kinetics of the accumulation of ra-
dioactive alkaline earth elements, mainly 
strontium (Sr-90), in bones. The rationale 
for the choice of this topic was the global 
environmental contamination with radio-
active substances containing in particular strontium (Sr-90) and 
caesium (Cs-137), which resulted from aerial nuclear tests carried 
out in the 1950s and 1960s. For the above research, he received 
the postdoctoral degree (habilitation) in 1967.
He was also a co-organizer (in 1964) of a system of monitoring 
individual doses of people exposed to ionizing radiation in medicine 
and industry, which today covers tens of thousands of employees in 
Poland. While working at the Institute of Occupational Medicine, 
Julian Liniecki was also one of the initiators of long-term research 
on occupational exposure to ionizing radiation from radon in the 
Polish mining industry, the effect of which was, among others, 
significant reduction of radiation doses for miners. Being the head 
of the Department of Radiological Protection, he was also Deputy 
Director of the Institute for many years.
In 1973, Julian Liniecki left the Institute and started working at the 
Medical Academy of Lodz. Initially, he was the head of the Department 
of General Pathology (1973–1974), and from 1974 until his retirement 
in 2000, he headed the Department of Nuclear Medicine. From 1992 
to 2000 he was also the Director of the Institute of Radiology.
Professor Julian Liniecki was twice the Deputy Dean of the 
Faculty of Medicine and for three terms the Vice-Rector of the 
Medical Academy of Lodz (Vice-Rector for University Development 
– from 1981 to 1982 and Vice-Rector for Science and International 
Cooperation – from 1990 to 1996).
The Department of Nuclear Medi-
cine directed by Professor Liniecki 
became the leading facility of this type 
in Poland. Under his leadership, the 
team of the Department conducted 
intensive research on a number of 
modern scintigraphic procedures and 
radioisotope clearance assays. Most 
of these methods have been imple-
mented for daily diagnostic practice, 
including original method for assess-
ing myocardial perfusion.
The research inspired by Profes-
sor Liniecki on the synthesis of new 
radioactive markers resulted in the 
development and introduction into the 
diagnostic practice in Poland of sev-
eral radiopharmaceuticals designed, 
among others, for the diagnosis of 
kidney function, bone structure tests, 
myocardial perfusion assessment 
and the detection of neoplastic and 
inflammatory lesions. Thanks to the efforts of Professor Liniecki, 
the Radiopharmaceutical Production Unit was established at the 
Central Clinical Hospital (one of two such facilities in Poland).
During the whole period of work at the Medical Academy of 
Lodz, Professor Liniecki remained connected to the Institute of Oc-
cupational Medicine – he was a member of the Scientific Council, 
and for several terms – its chairman.
The cooperation of Julian Liniecki with international organiza-
tions dates back to 1964, when he became an expert of the United 
Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation 
(UNSCEAR). In 1964–1966 and 1978–1986 he was the Scientific 
Secretary of this Committee. In 1979 he was the Head of the Sec-
retariat of UNSCEAR.
From 1969 until his retirement, he was a member of the Inter-
national Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). In 1973 he 
was elected to the Main Commission of the ICRP. From 1984 to 
1992 he was the Chairman of the Committee dealing with protec-
tion against ionizing radiation used in medicine, later he became 
its Vice-Chairman. He was a member and Vice-Chairman of the 
ICRP Working Group dealing with dose dosimetry from radiophar-
maceuticals used in nuclear medicine. 
For many years he was also an expert of the International 
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and a member of a number of foreign 
scientific societies.
Figure 1. Professor Julian Liniecki
Nuclear Medicine Review 2018, Vol. 21, No. 1
www.journals.viamedica.pl/nuclear_medicine_review72
Review
Professor Liniecki’s activity in Poland was equally outstanding. 
He was the Vice-Chairman of the Committee of Medical Physics of 
the Polish Academy of Sciences, a member of the Atomic Energy 
Council and Chairman of its Committee on Radiological Protec-
tion and Nuclear Safety. For a number of years he was a member 
of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Council and Chairman of the 
Radiation Hygiene Commission. His membership in many scientific 
societies, including the Polish Society of Nuclear Medicine (he 
became its honorary member), is also noteworthy.
From 1978 to 1994, Professor Liniecki was a member of the 
Scientific Board at the Minister of Health and Welfare, and later 
Vice-Chairman of the Minister of Health Group for the Implementa-
tion of EU Law.
Professor Liniecki received many state and departmental 
awards and distinctions, including the Commander’s Cross of 
the Order of Polonia Restituta and the Maria Curie-Skłodowska 
Medal (2007).
Professor Liniecki has been an educator of many specialists in 
the field of nuclear medicine and protection against ionizing radia-
tion; he was a doctoral thesis supervisor of 16 of his co-workers, 
and 8 of his close associates became professors.
He is the author of many articles and a number of books.
Professor Liniecki was a keen skier, a music lover (he had 
a several-thousand-item collection of CDs with classical music) 
and a photographer (there were several exhibitions of his works; 
a collection of his photograms can be found in the interior of the 
Department of Nuclear Medicine of the Medical University of Lodz).
We, the students and associates of Professor Liniecki, were 
lucky to be in the circle of influence of his rich and impressive 
personality. Even after retiring, he supported us with his extensive 
knowledge and experience.
Prof. dr hab. med. Jacek Kuśmierek
Figure 2. The Main Commission of the International Commission of 
Radiological Protection (ICRP). Professor J. Liniecki – first from the 
right in the second row.


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