Holger Valdemar Brøndsted (1893–1977) was a Danish zoologist, teacher and writer.
He earned his first degree from
Aarhus University
Aarhus University ( da, Aarhus Universitet, abbreviated AU) is a public research university with its main campus located in Aarhus, Denmark. It is the second largest and second oldest university in Denmark. The university is part of the Coimbra Gr ...
, and then studied natural sciences at the
University of Copenhagen. This led to his working as an assistant to Professor
Johan Erik Vesti Boas
Johan Erik Vesti Boas (2 July 1855 – 25 January 1935), "Biographical Etymology of Marine Organism Names. B" (biographies of scientists with names beginning "B"), Hans G. Hansson, TJärnö Marine Biological Laboratory, Göteborg University and ...
at the Agricultural University's zoological laboratory, as both a teacher and researcher. Following his marriage in 1919, he went to work at Birkerød State School in 1920, initially working as a part-time teacher, but 1921 as an assistant professor. This led to his writing several popular biology books. While teaching, he resumed his scientific studies, first at the Carlsberg Foundation's Biological Institute with Albert Fischer, and later at
Stockholm University
Stockholm University ( sv, Stockholms universitet) is a public research university in Stockholm, Sweden, founded as a college in 1878, with university status since 1960. With over 33,000 students at four different faculties: law, humanities, so ...
(1934-1936), where he earned his doctorate with the thesis, ''Entwicklungsphysiologische Studien über Spongilla lacustris'' (Studies of the developmental physiology of ''
Spongilla lacustris''). His interest in developmental physiology led to a series of lectures at Copenhagen University, and the possibility of a chair there, but war intervened.
In 1941 he became principal of Birkerød State School, where he dealt with the difficult war years. In 1948, aged 55, he was appointed professor of general zoology at Copenhagen University. He introduced cytology and experimental embryology, and the courses included histology and evolutionary theory. This position led to the writing of textbooks which also became popular science texts.
Alongside his teaching and research work, he became more and more preoccupied with philosophical and religious problems which needed to be related to the biological basis of life. This concern led further books relating religious concerns to biology.
Species named
*''
Breitfussia vitiosa'' (Brøndsted, 1931), as ''Grantia vitiosa''
*''
Grantia transgrediens'' Brøndsted, 1931
[
*'']Soleneiscus hispidus
''Soleneiscus hispidus'' is a species of calcareous sponge in the family Dendyidae.
The sponge was first described in 1931 by Holger Valdemar Brøndsted as ''Leucosolenia hispida''.
According to the Australian Faunal Directory it is known only ...
'' (Brøndsted, 1931)Jenkina
''Jenkina'' is a genus of sponges belonging to the family Jenkinidae
Jenkinidae is a family of sea sponges in the order Leucosolenida
Leucosolenida is an order of sponge
Sponges, the members of the phylum Porifera (; meaning 'pore be ...
'' Brøndsted, 1931Leucandra gaussii
''Leucandra'' may refer to:
* ''Leucandra'' (plant), a synonym for ''Tragia'', a flowering plant genus
* ''Leucandra'' (sponge), a calcareous sponge genus
{{Genus disambiguation ...
'' (Brøndsted, 1931)
Publications
Books
(Taken from the Dansk Biografisk Leksikon)
Other
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brøndsted, Holger Valdemar
1977 deaths
20th-century atheists
20th-century biologists
Burials at Mariebjerg Cemetery
1893 births