Kevin Leonard, former EMBL Heidelberg Group Leader, died on 8 May at the age of 78.

We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Kevin Leonard, former EMBL Group Leader, who died on Saturday 8 May the age of 78.

Kevin was one of the first EMBL employees, joining what has now become the Structural and Computational Biology Unit at EMBL Heidelberg as a Group Leader in 1975 and retiring after nearly 30 years’ service in 2003. He was an early protagonist of the use of electron microscopy in structural biology (well before it became cryo-electron microscopy), setting up the first facilities at EMBL and pursuing research on muscle structure and membrane proteins.

Kevin was a central figure in the social life of EMBL in its early years when the community was much smaller and had more time for fun. He founded the Alpine club and organized regular ski and hiking trips and I remember enjoying his hospitality when I regularly stayed at his house on my many trips to Heidelberg during the late 70’s and 80s.

We have lost a generous friend and a keen technical mind, and will miss Kevin enormously.  Kevin is survived by his wife, Belinda Bullard, and his son Arthur.

Stephen Cusack

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