It is with sadness that we have learnt that Sine Larsen passed away on the 2nd of January 2025. Sine was a great friend, colleague and scientist who made significant contributions to Crystallography, Synchrotron Radiation and Science in general.
Sine was professor at the Institute of Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen, Director of Research at the ESRF in Grenoble 2003-2009, and Director of MAX-lab/MAX IV 2010-2011. She played a significant role in the development of Crystallography in Denmark and, in particular, internationally as General Secretary and Treasurer of the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) from 1996 to 2005 and as President from 2008 to 2014. Sine also played a major role at ESRF in Grenoble as Director of Research in the period 2003-2009. She educated, trained and mentored many students, post docs and young scientists during her career.
Sine became director for MAX-lab on a short notice in 2010 in the transition between MAX-lab to MAX IV. She was interim director for one and half years. At the end of her tenure in 2012, MAX IV had been born.
Sine’s early involvement in the development of MAX-lab was exemplified by her pivotal role in establishing the protein crystallography beamline I911, also known as Cassiopeia. Collaborating with Anders Liljas (LU), she successfully secured funding for this project, which became a remarkable Danish-Swedish partnership. Cassiopeia featured a groundbreaking design with five stations that could operate simultaneously and independently, greatly enhancing the facility’s capabilities for protein crystallography. This innovation also introduced the ability to collect data for anomalous phasing, a critical step for structure determination at MAX-lab.
Sine visited MAX IV the last time in 2022 and was given a tour of the facility by her ex-collaborator and MAX IV employee, Aymeric Robert. Aymeric thinks back: “She was greatly impressed by what MAX IV had achieved. Sine was known for having incredible enthusiasm and energy in everything she was doing, in addition to being very personable.“
Robert Feidenhans’l, chair of the MAX IV Board remembers: “Although working at a different organization than Sine, she was a great mentor for me. She encouraged me strongly many years ago to become chair of the Danish National Committee. Although I never had been a chair before in my career, she trusted me and backed me up. She was a great mentor and model for me during my entire career.”
Our thoughts go to her husband Erik, her children, and her family.
