Betty Leibold, PhD. recently received the Marcel Simon Award from the International BioIron Society.
By Mandy Argyle
Dr. Betty Leibold was recently awarded the prestigious Marcel Simon Award by the International BioIron Society in recognition of her groundbreaking discovery of the IRE-IRP regulatory system and her critical work in defining its biological significance. Dr. Leibold’s research has made foundational contributions to the field of iron metabolism.
The Marcel Simon Award honors exceptional research in genetic hemochromatosis and is presented biennially at the IBIS meeting. It was established to commemorate Dr. Marcel Simon’s profound impact on the study of iron disorders.
Dr. Simon served as Head of the Diabetology Unit and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Rennes University in France. Deeply proud of his Breton heritage and known for his sharp wit, Dr. Simon developed an early interest in hemochromatosis, beginning with his MD thesis, “Heredity of Idiopathic Hemochromatosis.” He became a pioneer in the field’s genetics, identifying in 1975 the linkage between hemochromatosis and the HLA system on chromosome 6, and in 1977 establishing its autosomal recessive inheritance—paving the way for more effective family screening. His untimely death in 1988 at the age of 53 was a significant loss to the iron research community.
Congratulations to Dr. Leibold on this well-deserved recognition of her scientific excellence and lasting contributions.
