Stanley Leibo

LEIBO, STANLEY PAUL Ph.D. April 8, 1937-March 25, 2014 Renowned biologist, professor and researcher died of cancer in Austin,Texas. Leibo was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and soon moved to Providence, where he attended Classical High School, then received his Bachelor degree from Brown University. At the University of Vermont, he earned two Master's degrees. Subsequently, he pursued and achieved his Ph.D. in Biology from Princeton University. Leibo moved to Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee in 1963. In 1972, along with colleagues Peter Mazur and David Whittingham, the trio of scientists became the first to successfully preserve embryos of mammals that had been frozen using liquid nitrogen and helium. This critical work laid the foundation for the current widespread use of freezing embryos in human fertility clinics around the world. In 1981, Leibo moved to San Antonio, Texas, to head up Research & Development at Rio Vista International. While there, he invented a one-step process (subsequently patented) for the transfer of cattle embryos, which revolutionized the industry. In 2009, Leibo received the IETS Lifetime Achievement Award for his numerous and important contributions to the field of cryobiology and its benefits to the world of reproduction. Predeceased by his wife, Leibo is survived by his son and daughter and their families.