Editorial

You have full text access to this OnlineOpen article

A lifelong dedication to cytometry - A tribute to Guenter Valet

  1. Attila Tárnok1,†,*,
  2. Gero Brockhoff2,‡,*

Article first published online: 21 AUG 2007

DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.20460

Issue

Cytometry Part A

Cytometry Part A

Volume 71A, Issue 9, pages 639–642, September 2007

Additional Information

How to Cite

Tárnok, A. and Brockhoff, G. (2007), A lifelong dedication to cytometry - A tribute to Guenter Valet. Cytometry, 71A: 639–642. doi: 10.1002/cyto.a.20460

Author Information

  1. 1

    Prof. Dr. Attila Tárnok (Ph.D.), Dept. of Paediatric Cardiology, Cardiac Centre, University of Leipzig, Strümpellstr. 39, 04289 Leipzig, Germany

  2. 2

    PD Dr. Gero Brockhoff (Ph.D.), Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany

  1. †

    Tel: +49-(0)341-8652430, Fax: +49-(0)341-8651143.

  2. ‡

    Tel: +49-(0)941-9446607, Fax: +49-(0)941-9446602.

*Dept. of Paediatric Cardiology, Cardiac Centre, University of Leipzig, Strümpellstr. 39, 04289 Leipzig, Germany

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 21 AUG 2007
  2. Article first published online: 21 AUG 2007

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

Get PDF (100K)

A TRIBUTE

  1. Top of page
  2. A TRIBUTE
  3. THE IDEA OF CYTOMICS
  4. HONORARY DGfZ MEMBER GUENTER VALET
  5. LITERATURE CITED

The German Society of Cytometry (DGfZ) is very honored to award Prof. Guenter Valet with an honorary membership to the DGfZ society. Without Guenter Valet the DGfZ, as well as the entire cytometric world, would be a different place. Due to his tremendous input into nearly all fields of cytometry, plus his visionary view of where cytometry is heading, in particular how the future gains in scientific knowledge and diagnostic approaches will be changed by cytometry, he has been and still is a major spearhead in defining the future goals of the field.

As a trained physician who also studied physics, Valet's primary interest has always been to improve diagnosis and therapy. Taking a brief look back at his scientific vitae, one can clearly see that the basis for many of his present goals and agendas was laid very early in his career. It is clear that he knew very early on where the direction of cytometry was heading.

As early as 1972 he began using single cell analysis with the methods available at that time of high-throughput instrumentation of impedance measurements of erythrocytes (1, 2, 3). At the same time he also began publishing important articles on cell physiology (4, 5). Both of these aspects of research have remained guiding principals throughout his career. Following a postdoctoral position in California where he worked on complement systems at the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation (Mueller-Eberhard HJ) (6, 7), he returned to Germany as a staff member of the Max-Planck Institute (MPI) for Biochemistry in Martinsried to focus on the technologies of single cell analysis. Here he began to simultaneously analyze different parameters of cells in suspension (2). Around this time he also began to take the mathematical modeling of the derived data into closer consideration (8, 9). In 1979, his first work using a flow-cytometer was published (10) focusing on the cell physiology of erythrocytes.

The technological vision of Guenter Valet becomes obvious by looking at many of his works. A very typical early recognition of what is possible and its future impact on the field was visionary and is the result of close collaboration with Volker Kachel (also MPI, Martinsried). In their research Valet, Kachel and others combined the emerging technologies of flow-cytometry and imaging to create a workable in-flow imaging system (11, 12). A further development of this technology has recently become commercially available (13, 14).

Valet recognized very early on the central importance of multiparametric analysis in understanding the mechanisms of cell system behavior and diseases (15, 16, 17, 18). In parallel, he continued to implement cell functional analysis by flow as pH (19), transmembrane potential and phagocytosis (20), enzyme activity (16), intracellular Calcium (21), Glutathion (22), and oxidative/respiratory burst (23, 24, 25). In fact, these publications are among the most frequently cited in his records. 

Table  . Guenter Valet - Additional Information
Curriculum Vitae
1961–62:Study of theoretical physics, Technical University, Munich, Germany
1962–67:Study of medicine, Universities of Munich and Freiburg, Germany & Montpellier, France
1965–67:Doctoral thesis, Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry (MPIB), Dept. of Exp. Medicine (Profs. G. Ruhenstroth-Bauer/A. Butenandt), Munich, Germany
1968:M.D. University of Munich, Germany
1968–69:Scientific Assistant in surgery, gynecology and internal medicine at university hospitals, Munich, Germany
1970–71:Scientific Assistant at MPIB, Dept. of Exp. Medicine, Munich, Germany
1972–73:Research Fellow, Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, California, USA - Biochemistry of the Human Complement System (Prof. H.J. Müller-Eberhard)
1973–81:Scientific Assistant MPIB, Munich, Germany, Dept. of Exp. Medicine, Martinsried, Germany
1974:Habilitation in Experimental Medicine, University of Munich, Germany
1981:Appointment as Professor of Experimental Medicine, University of Munich, Germany
1981–1989:Head of the independent Mildred Scheel Laboratory for Cancer Cell Research of the Dr. Mildred Scheel Foundation for Cancer Research/Deutsche Krebshilfe at MPIB, Martinsried, Germany
1989–2006:Head of the Cell Biochemistry Group at MPIB, Martinsried, Germany
2006 MayRetirement from MPIB, Martinsried and the Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany (see: History & Concepts Martinsried Flow Cytometry)
Scientific Societies
1995Initiation and continued efforts for the organization of biomedical cytometry at the European level (ESACP, EFCS, EWGCCA-EEC, EWGCCA, ISCO)
1996–2005Chairman of data analysis task force of EWGCCA (Clinical Cytomics), EWGCCA-EEC
1999Congress president of the 6th ESACP Congress, Heidelberg, Apr. 7–11, 1999 + Chairman of Program & Organizing Committees
1994–1999President and president-elect of the European Society for Analytical Cellular Pathology (ESACP)
1990–1994President and president-elect of the Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Zytometrie (DGfZ)
1991–1996Consultant to the International Society for Analytical Cytology (ISAC)
1991–1996Consultant to the Clinical Cytometry Division ISAC (CCD)
1981–1985Consultant to the ISAC
1989Co-founder of the DGfZ and since then member of the society and the advisory board
Editorial Boards
1986–1988Blut
1988–1996Member of the Cytometry editorial board
1989–2003Analytical Cellular Pathology
1990–1998Cellular Pharmacology
Since 2000Clin. & Appl. Immunology Reviews
Since 2004Cytometry A associate editor & editor of “Perspectives in Cytomics”
Scientific Advisory Board
2006Member of the Council Scientifique EPHE-Sorbonne, Paris, France
Awards
2006Gold Medal & Membership in the Academy of Transdisciplinary Learning and Advanced Studies (TheATLAS)
2006Key note speaker Ilya Prigogine memorial workshop IDPT'2006 (SDPS)
2006Distinguished Membership Award of the International Society of Analytical Cytology (ISAC)
Internet Services
1995–2006Cell Biochemistry Group, Martinsried: Setup & Maintenance
1995–2006CytoRelay, Martinsried: Setup & Maintenance
1996–2001EWGCCA: Setup & Maintenance
1994–2001DGfZ: Setup & Maintenance
1994–1998ESACP: Setup & Maintenance
Since 2000Classimed web site: Setup & Maintenance

In the mid-eighties Valet began to develop a classification system (CLASSIF1) for the individual recognition of disease progression (26) using the numerous quantitative data acquired by flow and imaging instrumentation. He demonstrated the importance of the multiparametric approach in combination with cytometry in a multitude of clinical and biological examples (27, 28, 29, 30). Around this time he began to consolidate the results of his findings, which ultimately merged into the concept known as “Predictive Medicine by Cytomics” (31).

In addition to his innovative technological and assay developments, Valet never forgot his primary objective of pushing clinical diagnosis and research forward. To achieve this goal the collaboration of scientists in the field was crucial. He was therefore very actively involved in the initiation and continued efforts for the organization of biomedical cytometry at the European level (e.g. in societies such as ESACP, EFCS, EWGCCA, ISCO). From 1994–99 he was president elect and president of the European Society for Analytical and Cellular Pathology (ESACP). Most importantly for us, he was a founding member and president elect and president of the DGfZ from 1990–94 (http://www.dgfz.org), not to mention his continued role as an expert advisor to the society even today. Internationally, he has remained active as a consultant to the ISAC (http://www.isac-net.org).

Valet has organized numerous high-ranking international conferences and is still active in education in cytometry and cytomics with lectures and textbook contributions. He has promoted cytometry by his activities on the editorial board of many scientific journals and is currently the associate editor of this journal, Cytometry Part A.

THE IDEA OF CYTOMICS

  1. Top of page
  2. A TRIBUTE
  3. THE IDEA OF CYTOMICS
  4. HONORARY DGfZ MEMBER GUENTER VALET
  5. LITERATURE CITED

One of the latest ongoing developments emerging from the wide field of cytometry is the utilization of highly sophisticated technical approaches designed to analyze the function of so-called normal and pathologically altered biological cells and tissues on a biological systems level. Valet became aware that cytometry, covering a wide spectrum of technologies including e. g. high-content multiparametric flow and image-based single cell analysis, had matured and that cytometric analysis had the potential to play a critical role at higher levels of research. The vision is to understand and resolve the biocomplexity of cells, cellular components, and cell systems. Based on this idea, the term Cytomics was created, which refers to sophisticated high throughput and high-content analytics (multicolor flow and image cytometry) designed to quantitatively characterize cells within the heterogeneity of cell systems in combination with exhaustive bioinformatic knowledge extraction (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44). Cytomics, as a top-down discipline of cell system analysis (45, 46), links proteomics and genomics to cell and tissue function by integrating cell morphology, tissue architecture, cell physiology, cell function, and cellular systems. Cytomic-based analytical approaches are prospectively expected to characterize numerous diseases in terms of a given molecular equivalent, so that new and highly specific drug targets may be identified. Several studies have already reported preliminary data incorporating this approach (47, 48) In terms of translational medicine, the comprehensive analysis of the complex molecular and cellular analysis is expected to more precisely stratify patients and to provide the knowledge to design specific therapeutic strategies. Overall, Cytomics has opened the way in clinical applications to the development of more predictive and preventive medicine in terms of individualized patient treatment.

Valet continuously promotes and refines the Cytomic concept and is still encouraging numerous high-ranking authors from different disciplines to define their concepts of Cytomics in basic research, drug discovery and clinical diagnosis (49, 50, 51).

Valet (and cooperation partners) introduced this way of thinking to our society and he can be considered one of the pioneers in guiding cytometrists to the idea of Cytomics. He has played a major role in the history of the DGfZ and has been instrumental in helping to shape and modify the self-concept of the society since its very beginnings.

HONORARY DGfZ MEMBER GUENTER VALET

  1. Top of page
  2. A TRIBUTE
  3. THE IDEA OF CYTOMICS
  4. HONORARY DGfZ MEMBER GUENTER VALET
  5. LITERATURE CITED

We sincerely appreciate Guenter Valet's invaluable input to the DGfZ over many years. He has constantly co-modeled the society and has helped it to achieve its current status today. Hence as a token of esteem, we would like to appoint Guenter Valet this year as an honorary member of our society.

LITERATURE CITED

  1. Top of page
  2. A TRIBUTE
  3. THE IDEA OF CYTOMICS
  4. HONORARY DGfZ MEMBER GUENTER VALET
  5. LITERATURE CITED
  • 1
    Metzger H,Valet G,Kachel V,Ruhenstroth-Bauer G. The calibration by electronic means of Coulter counter for the determination of absolute volume of particles. Blut. 1972; 25(3): 179–184.
  • 2
    Valet G,Metzger H,Kachel V,Ruhenstroth-Bauer G. [Volume distribution curves of rat erythrocytes following whole body irradiation]. Blut. 1972; 24(5): 274–282.
  • 3
    Valet G,Metzger H,Kachel V,Ruhenstroth-Bauer G. [Demonstration of various erythrocyte populations in the rat]. Blut. 1972; 24(1): 42–53.
  • 4
    Valet G,Ruhenstroth-Bauer G. [Organ weight, protein content and esterase activity of the liver following whole-body irradiation of rats with reference to functional morphological aspects]. Strahlentherapie. 1969; 137(6): 734–741.
  • 5
    Valet G,Gross HJ,Ruhenstroth-Bauer G. [Esterase activity, protein content and weight of the spleen in x-ray, whole-body irradiated rats with special reference to function-morphological viewpoints] Virchows Arch B Cell Pathol. 1969; 2(4): 326–344.
  • 6
    Valet G,Cooper NR. Isolation and characterization of the proenzyme form of the C1r subunit of the first complement component. J Immunol. 1974; 112(5): 1667–1673.
  • 7
    Valet G,Opferkuch W. Mechanism of complement-induced cell lysis.Demonstration of a three-step mechanism of EAC1-8 cell lysis by C9 and of a non-osmotic swelling of erythrocytes. J Immunol. 1975; 115(4): 1028–1033.
  • 8
    Valet G,Hofmann H,Ruhenstroth-Bauer G. The computer analysis of volume distribution curves. Demonstration of two erythrocyte populations of different size in the young guinea pig and analysis of the mechanism of immune lysis of cells by antibody and complement. J Histochem Cytochem. 1976; 24(1): 231–246.
  • 9
    Heumann R,Valet G,Maison D,Kemper J,Reiser G,Hamprecht B. Influence of the time in culture on cellular and neuronal properties of neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cells. With an appendix, mathematical description of the kinetics of the loss in cell volume. J Cell Sci. 1977; 27: 141–155.
  • 10
    Valet G,Bamberger S,Hofmann H,Schindler R,Ruhenstroth-Bauer G. Flow cytometry as a new method for the measurement of electrophoretic mobility of erythrocytes using membrane charge staining by fluoresceinated polycations. J Histochem Cytochem. 1979; 27(1): 342–349.
  • 11
    Kachel V,Benker G,Lichtnau K,Valet G,Glossner E. Fast imaging in flow: a means of combining flow-cytometry and image analysis. J Histochem Cytochem. 1979; 27(1): 335–341.
  • 12
    Valet G,Fischer B,Sundergeld A,Hanser G,Kachel V,Ruhenstroth-Bauer G. Simultaneous flow cytometric DNA and volume measurements of bone marrow cells as sensitive indicator of abnormal proliferation patterns in rat leukemias. J Histochem Cytochem. 1979; 27(1): 398–403.
  • 13
    Ortyn WE,Hall BE,George TC,Frost K,Basiji DA,Perry DJ,Zimmerman CA,Coder D,Morrissey PJ. Sensitivity measurement and compensation in spectral imaging. Cytometry A. 2006; 69(8): 852–862.
  • 14
    George TC,Fanning SL,Fitzgeral-Bocarsly P,Medeiros RB,Highfill S,Shimizu Y,Hall BE,Frost K,Basiji D,Ortyn WE,Morrissey PJ,Lynch DH. Quantitative measurement of nuclear translocation events using similarity analysis of multispectral cellular images obtained in flow. J Immunol Methods. 2006; 311(1–2): 117–129.
  • 15
    Lauf PK,Valet G. Cation transport in different volume populations of genetically low K+ lamb red cells. J Cell Physiol. 1980; 104(3): 283–293.
    Direct Link:
  • 16
    Malin-Berdel J,Valet G. Flow cytometric determination of esterase and phosphatase activities and kinetics in hematopoietic cells with fluorogenic substrates. Cytometry. 1980; 1(3): 222–228.
    Direct Link:
  • 17
    Valet G,Ormerod MG,Warnecke HH,Benker G,Ruhenstroth-Bauer G. Sensitive three-parameter flow-cytometric detection of abnormal cells in human cervical cancers: a pilot study. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 1981; 102(2): 177–184.
  • 18
    Rothe G,Valet G. Phagocytosis, intracellular pH, and cell volume in the multifunctional analysis of granulocytes by flow cytometry. Cytometry. 1988; 9(4): 316–324.
    Direct Link:
  • 19
    Valet G,Raffael A,Moroder L,Wunsch E,Ruhenstroth-Bauer G. Fast intracellular pH determination in single cells by flow-cytometry. Naturwissenschaften. 1981; 68(5): 265–266.
  • 20
    Valet G,Jenssen HL,Krefft M,Ruhenstroth-Bauer G. Flow-cytometric measurements of the transmembrane potential, the surface charge density and the phagocytic activity of Guinea pig macrophages after incubation with lymphokines. Blut. 1981; 42(6): 379–382.
  • 21
    Valet G,Raffael A,Russmann L. Determination of intracellular calcium in vital cells by flow-cytometry. Naturwissenschaften. 1985; 72(11): 600–602.
  • 22
    Treumer J,Valet G. Flow-cytometric determination of glutathione alterations in vital cells by o-phthaldialdehyde (OPT) staining. Exp Cell Res. 1986; 163(2): 518–524.
  • 23
    Burow S,Valet G. Flow-cytometric characterization of stimulation, free radical formation, peroxidase activity and phagocytosis of human granulocytes with 2,7-dichlorofluorescein (DCF). Eur J Cell Biol. 1987; 43(1): 128–133.
  • 24
    Rothe G,Oser A,Valet G. Dihydrorhodamine 123: a new flow cytometric indicator for respiratory burst activity in neutrophil granulocytes. Naturwissenschaften. 1988; 75(7): 354–355.
  • 25
    Rothe G,Valet G. Flow cytometric analysis of respiratory burst activity in phagocytes with hydroethidine and 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin. J Leukoc Biol. 1990; 47(5): 440–448.
  • 26
    Valet G,Valet M,Tschope D,Gabriel H,Rothe G,Kellermann W,Kahle H. White cell and thrombocyte disorders. Standardized, self-learning flow cytometric list mode data classification with the CLASSIF1 program system. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1993; 677: 233–251.
    Direct Link:
  • 27
    Wustrow TP,Raffael A,Valet G. Multiparametric flow cytometry of human squamous cell carcinoma lines from the head and neck. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1988; 98(6): 552–557.
  • 28
    Neubauer A,Sauer H,Valet G. Cytostatic drug testing in human leukemias by means of multiparametric flow cytometry. Blut. 1987; 55(5): 433–445.
  • 29
    Wustrow TP,Raffael A,Valet G. Cytotoxic drug testing in head and neck cancer by multiparametric flow cytometry. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1986; 112(10): 1078–1084.
  • 30
    Wirsching R,Valet G,Wiebecke B. [Classification and prognosis of colorectal cancers. Evaluation with multiparameter flow cytometry] Fortschr Med. 1985; 103(21): 584–587.
  • 31
    Valet G. Predictive medicine by cytomics: potential and challenges. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2002; 16(2): 164–167.
  • 32
    Valet G. Cytomics as a new potential for drug discovery. Drug Discov Today. 2006; 11(17–18): 785–791.
  • 33
    Valet G. Cytomics, the human cytome project and systems biology: top-down resolution of the molecular biocomplexity of organisms by single cell analysis. Cell Prolif. 2005; 38(4): 171–174.
    Direct Link:
  • 34
    Valet G. Human cytome project, cytomics, and systems biology: the incentive for new horizons in cytometry. Cytometry A. 2005; 64(1): 1–2.
  • 35
    Valet G. Cytomics: an entry to biomedical cell systems biology. Cytometry A. 2005 Feb; 63(2): 67–8. Review. No abstract available.
  • 36
    Valet G,Tarnok A. Potential and challenges of a human cytome project. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2004; 18(2): 87–91.
  • 37
    Valet GK,Hoeffkes HG. Data pattern analysis for the individualised pretherapeutic identification of high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients by cytomics. Cytometry A. 2004; 59(2): 232–236.
    Direct Link:
  • 38
    Valet G,Leary JF,Tarnok A. Cytomics – new technologies: towards a human cytome project. Cytometry A. 2004; 59(2): 167–171.
    Direct Link:
  • 39
    Valet G. Past and present concepts in flow cytometry: a European perspective. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2003; 17(3): 213–322.
  • 40
    Valet GK,Tarnok A. Cytomics in predictive medicine. Cytometry B Clin Cytom. 2003; 53(1): 1–3.
    Direct Link:
  • 41
    Valet G. Predictive medicine by cytomics: potential and challenges. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2002; 16(2): 164–167.
  • 42
    Brockhoff G: Cytomics and Receptor Interaction. Verh Dtsch Ges Path 2006; 90: 31–38.
  • 43
    Tarnok A,Bocsi J,Brockhoff G. Cytomics – importance of multimodal analysis of cell function and proliferation in oncology. Cell Prolif. 2006: 39(6): 495–505.
    Direct Link:
  • 44
    Tarnok A,Brockhoff G. Cytomics emerging from cytometry. Cell Prolif. 2006; 39(5): 335–338.
    Direct Link:
  • 45
    Valet G. Human cytome project, cytomics, and systems biology Cytometry 2006 A 69A(1): 45–46.
  • 46
    Valet G. Cytomics as a new potential for drug discovery. Drug Discov Today. 2006; 11(17–18): 785–91.
  • 47
    Valet G,Repp R,Link H,Ehninger A,Gramatzki MM, SHG-AML study group. Pretherapeutic identification of high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients from immunophenotypic, cytogenetic, and clinical parameters. Cytometry B Clin Cytom. 2003; 53(1): 4–10.
    Direct Link:
  • 48
    Valet GK,Hoeffkes HG. Data pattern analysis for the individualised pretherapeutic identification of high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients by cytomics. Cytometry A. 2004; 59(2): 232–236.
    Direct Link:
  • 49
    Murphy RF. Cytomics and location proteomics: automated interpretation of subcellular patterns in fluorescence microscope images. Cytometry A. 2005; 67(1): 1–3.
  • 50
    Kriete A. Cytomics in the realm of systems biology. Cytometry A. 2005; 68(1): 19–20.
  • 51
    Schubert W. Cytomics in characterizing toponomes: towards the biological code of the cell. Cytometry A. 2006; 69A(4): 209–211.
    Direct Link:
Get PDF (100K)