Henry Mantsch Spectroscopy Prize

Henry Mantsch was born in Romania in 1935. He pursued his chemistry studies at Cluj-Napoca University and obtained a PhD in Physical Chemistry from the Romanian Academy of Sciences in 1964, specializing in infrared spectroscopy. His career took him to the Technical University of Munich as a Humboldt Research Fellow, where he earned a German Dr. rer. nat. hab. (DSc). In 1968, Mantsch moved to Canada to work at the National Research Council (NRC), Ottawa, eventually becoming the head of its Molecular Spectroscopy Section. He pioneered the application of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to biomolecules, significantly advancing the field of vibrational spectroscopy in the biosciences.
During the 1990s, Mantsch expanded his research into medical applications of spectroscopy, particularly in cancer diagnosis, at the NRC Institute for Biodiagnostics in Winnipeg. His work demonstrated the potential of infrared spectroscopy for medical diagnostics, contributing to the growth of vibrational spectroscopy in disease diagnosis. His perseverance and visionary approach helped bridge the gap between bench research and clinical application.
After a distinguished 35-year academic career, Mantsch transitioned to a diplomatic role, managing the Science and Technology Section at the Canadian Embassy in Berlin. He later served as Senior Science Advisor to Ottawa’s Department of Foreign Affairs.
With over 500 publications, Mantsch’s interdisciplinary work across chemistry, biology, physics, and medicine, his visionary spirit and his vast knowledge and experience, he has left a lasting impact, training many students and advancing the field of biological spectroscopy. He passed away on 23 October 2024.