Boris Balinsky

{{Short description|Ukrainian-South African biologist (1905–1997)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox scientist | name = Borys Balinsky <div class="center" style="font-size:smaller">Борис Балінський</div> | image = Борис Балінський (1936).png | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1905|9|23}} | birth_place = Kiev, Russian Empire | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1997|9|1|1905|9|23}} | death_place = {{nowrap|Johannesburg, South Africa}} | children = John Balinsky, Helen David | spouse = {{plainlist| * Catherine Singaiivska * Elizabeth Stengel }} | citizenship = {{Plainlist| * Russian Empire (1905–1917) * Ukrainian People's Republic (1917–1921) * Soviet Union (1922–1941) * Germany (1941–1949) * South Africa (1950–1983) }} | fields = Embryology, entomology | workplaces = {{Plainlist| * Kiev University * I. I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, NAS of Ukraine * University of the Witwatersrand }} | alma_mater = {{Plainlist| * Kiev University }} | doctoral_advisor = Ivan Schmalhausen | notable_students = }}

'''Borys Ivanovych Balinsky''' (23 September 1905 – 1 September 1997) was a Ukrainian-South African biologist, embryologist, entomologist.

A professor at Kiev University and later the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg,<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Fabian |first=B |date=2009 |title=Balinsky’s Darwinian roots |url=https://archive.sajs.co.za/index.php/SAJS/article/view/149/122 |journal=South African Journal of Science |volume=105 |issue=Nov-Dec 2009 |pages=410-414}}</ref> Balinsky was a pioneer researcher in the field of experimental embryology, electron microscopy and developmental biology and the author of a popular textbook in embryology ''An Introduction to Embryology''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Balinsky|first1=Boris|title=An Introduction to Embryology|url=https://archive.org/details/introductiontoem0000bali|url-access=registration|date=1970|publisher=W.B. Saunders Company|location=Philadelphia|isbn=0721615171|edition=3rd}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Korzh |first=Vladimir |date=2005 |title=Boris Balinsky: transition from embryology to developmental biology |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923201432/http://www.cecm.usp.br/~cewinter/aulas/artigos/2005/Balinsky.pdf |journal=BioEssays |volume=27 |pages=970–977 |archive-url= |archive-date= |via=Wiley}}</ref>

== Early life and education == Balinsky was born 23 September 1905, in Kiev,<ref name=":0" /> then part of the Russian Empire (now the capital of present day, Ukraine). His father, Ivan Balinsky, was a historian, lawyer and teacher at Galen College. His mother, Elizaveta Radzymovska was a biology teacher. Her aunt, Valentyna Radzymovska, was a biologist who was involved in Ukrainian independence movements. His parents loved English literature and spoke Ukrainian, Russian and English at home.<ref name=Kliu>{{cite book |language=en |first1=Iryna |last1=Kliuchkovska |first2=O. |last2=Pyatkovska |first3=Y. |last3=Marusyk |first4=V. |last4=Hoisan |first5=K. |last5=Zhylych |title=Ukrainians of South Africa : Society, identity and future (BORIS BALINSKY p12-13) |location=Cape Town |date=2020 |isbn=9780620961431 |translator-first1=Mykola |translator-last1=Biletskyi |publisher=UAZA |chapter=Ukrainians, Ukrainian places and the Ukrainian community in South Africa }}</ref> His love of etymology began with a book he received in 1916 on collecting butterflies, as well as with the summers he spent in the village of Severinovka, where his grandfather kept bees.<ref name=":2">{{cite journal |author=E.S. Grossman |year=2005 |title=Borys Balinsky 10 September 1905 — 1 September 1997 |url=https://journals.co.za/doi/epdf/10.10520/EJC96417 |journal=South African Journal of Science |volume=101 |pages=309–312 |number=May/June |hdl=10520/EJC96417}}</ref>

He was a student of the Soviet zoologist and evolutionary biologist, Ivan Schmalhausen,<ref name=":1" /> and one of the first people to conduct experiments inducing organogenesis in amphibian embryos. His distinguished himself by having his first scientific paper published while he was only 20 and still an undergraduate.<ref name=":2" />

He married his first wife Katya Syngayevskaya in 1928, after meeting her during an embryology seminar. Balinsky's son John Balinsky was born in 1934.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Boris Ivan Balinsky |url=https://www.microscopy.org.za/Documents/Members%20info/Borris.pdf |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=www.microscopy.org.za}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=John B. Balinsky Papers, RS 13/25/12, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library |url=https://findingaids.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/arch/rgrp/13-25-12.html |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=findingaids.lib.iastate.edu}}</ref>

== Career == Balinsky became a full university professor at Kiev University in 1933 at age 28 and the deputy director of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences two years later in 1935.<ref name=":2" /> He became a recognised expert in fish and amphibian development.

His wife was arrested October 7, 1937 for engaging in counter-revolutionary propaganda and was sentenced to ten years in a gulag.<ref name=":2" /> Therefore Balinsky lost his post as professor and as deputy director of the Institute. His wife, Syngayevskaya would die of peritonitis in 1943.<ref name=":4" />

A victim of Soviet repressions, Balinsky remained in Kiev under German occupation during World War II while others evacuated. He and his family fled to Poznań, Poland after the German evacuation and later Munich, Germany.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> From 1945 to 1947, he worked as a professor of Histology at the temporary UNRRA University in Munich.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration |url=https://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CU%5CN%5CUnitedNationsReliefandRehabilitationAdministration.htm#:~:text=An%20international%20university,%20UNRRA%20University,among%20the%20Ukrainian%20refugees%20flourished. |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=www.encyclopediaofukraine.com}}</ref> After the closing of the UNRRA University in 1947, Balinsky also briefly worked in Scotland in Conrad Hal Waddington's laboratory on mice embryology from 1947 to 1949.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" />

Later, in 1949, he migrated to South Africa where he become one of the founders of South African experimental bioscience.<ref name=":1" /> In 1949, Balinsky accepted a lecturer position at the University of the Witwatersrand.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Boris Balinsky - Wits University |url=https://www.wits.ac.za/borisbalinsky/ |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=www.wits.ac.za}}</ref><ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=2024-04 - Symposium held to honour Professor Boris Balinsky - Wits University |url=https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2024/2024-04/symposium-held-to-honour-professor-boris-balinsky-.html |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=www.wits.ac.za}}</ref> He was appointed Head of Zoology at the school, serving from 1954 to 1973.<ref name=":4" /> In 1960, drawing from the courses he taught at Witwatersrand, Balinsky published the ''An Introduction to Embryology'', which became one of the most widely used Embryology textbook worldwide and served as a foundational textbook in the field for years to come.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5" /> He also served as Witwatersrand's Dean of the Faculty of Science from 1965 to 1967<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":3" /> He served as the President of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa in 1966.<ref name=":3" />

Balinsky also worked in entomology and described new species of Plecoptera, Odonata and moths from the family Pyralidae, mainly from Caucasus and South Africa.

== Death and legacy == He died at home in Johannesburg on 1 September 1997, aged 91.<ref name=":1" /> His son John Balinsky also studied and became a scientist. John Balinsky went on to work for the University Witwatersrand and served as the chairman for the Department of Zoology at Iowa State University.<ref name=":4" />

== Insects described == {{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

=== Plecoptera === * ''Pontoperla teberdinica'' Balinsky, 1950 * ''Pontoperla katherinae'' Balinsky * ''Balinskycercella gudu'' Balinsky, 1956 * ''Balinskycercella tugelae'' Balinsky, 1956 * ''Balinskycercella fontium'' Balinsky, 1956

=== Dragonflies === * ''Agriocnemis pinheyi'' Balinsky, 1963 * ''Agriocnemis ruberrima'' Balinsky, 1961 * ''Ceratogomphus triceraticus'' Balinsky, 1963 * ''Chlorolestes draconicus'' Balinsky, 1956 * ''Orthetrum robustum'' Balinsky, 1965 * ''Pseudagrion helenae'' Balinsky, 1964 * ''Pseudagrion inopinatum'' Balinsky, 1971 * ''Pseudagrion vumbaense'' Balinsky, 1963 * ''Urothemis luciana'' Balinsky, 1961 {{div col end}}

=== Lepidoptera === {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}

==== New species ==== * ''Abachausia grisea'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Acrobasis africanella'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Afromyelois communis'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Afromylea natalica'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Afropsipyla pictella'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Afropsipyla similis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Ambetilia crucifera'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Ancylosis aeola'' Balinsky, 1987 * ''Ancylosis eugraphella'' Balinsky, 1987 * ''Ancylosis eurhoda'' Balinsky, 1989 * ''Ancylosis glaphyria'' Balinsky, 1987 * ''Ancylosis melanophlebia'' Balinsky, 1989 * ''Ancylosis mimeugraphella'' Balinsky, 1989 * ''Ancylosis montana'' Balinsky, 1989 * ''Ancylosis namibiella'' Balinsky, 1987 * ''Ancylosis obscurella'' Balinsky, 1989 * ''Ancylosis perfervid'' Balinsky, 1989 * ''Ancylosis similis'' Balinsky, 1987 * ''Apomyelois bicolorata'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Arsissa transvaalica'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Aspithroides minuta'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Azanicola adspersa'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Bahiria defecta'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Bahiria durbanica'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Bahiria flavicosta'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Bahiria latevalvata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Bahiria macrognatha'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Bahiria magna'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Bahiria similis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Bahiria ximenianata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Cabotella inconspicua'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Candiopella dukei'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Cantheleamima excisa'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Ceuthelea umtalensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Cunibertoides nigripatagiata'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Emporia melanobasis'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Encryphodes ethiopella'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Epicrocis abbreviata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis ancylosiformis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis arcana'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis brevipalpata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis complicata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis coriacelloides'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis crassa'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis flavicosta'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis furcilinea'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis gracilis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis imitans'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis insolita'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis intermedia'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis noncapillata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis ornata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis ornatella'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis picta'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Epicrocis plumbifasciata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis punctata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis sacculata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis spiculata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Epicrocis vansoni'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Eucarphia anomala'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Eurhodope nyctosia'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Euzophera crassignatha'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Euzophera crinita'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Euzophera cullinanensis'' (Balinsky, 1991) * ''Euzophera minima'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Euzophera termivelata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Euzopherodes capicola'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Faveria dubia'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Faveria fusca'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Faveria ignicephalis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Faveria minima'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Faveria minuscula'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Faveria nonceracanthia'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Faveria onigra'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Faveria poliostrota'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Flabellobasis montana'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Gaana minima'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Gaana quatra'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Getulia maculosa'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Hobohmia paradoxa'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Homoeosoma masaiensis'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Joannisia heterotypa'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Joannisia jansei'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Joannisia poliopasta'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Joannisia semiales'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Kivia longisacculata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia affinis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia glaucocephalis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia grisella'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia homotypa'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia hortensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia inermis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia injucunda'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia karkloofensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia lugubris'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia nigerrima'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia nonplagella'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia pulchra'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia salisburyensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia sarniensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia similis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia spissa'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia squamata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Laodamia zoetendalensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Leviantenna ferox'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Macrovalva quadrielevata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Magiriamorpha superpalpia'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Miliberta gnathilata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Nakurubia sacculata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Namibicola simplex'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Namibicola splendida'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Namibiopsis punctata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Nonphycita lineata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Nyctegretis cullinanensis'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Oncocera affinis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera cenochreella'' Ragonot, 1888 * ''Oncocera dubia'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera glaucocephalis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera grisella'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera homotypa'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera horrens'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera hortensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera ignicephalis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera inermis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera injucunda'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera karkloofensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera lugubris'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera nigerrima'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera nonplagella'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera pulchra'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera salisburyensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera sarniensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera similis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera spiculata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera spissa'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera squamata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Oncocera zoetendalensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Ortholepis polyodonta'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Ortholepis pyrobasis'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Ortholepis unguinata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Paralaodamia haploa'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Paralaodamia angustata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Paralaodamia fraudulenta'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Paralaodamia modesta'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Paralaodamia pretoriensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Paralaodamia serrata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Paralaodamia subligaculata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Paralaodamia transvaalica'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Phycita attenuata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Phycita exaggerata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Phycita ligubris'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Phycita randensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Phycita singularis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Phycita spiculata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Phycita spissoterminata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Phycita suppenditata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Phycitophila obscurita'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Phycitopsis insulata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Pretoria nigribasis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Proancylosis argenticostata'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Pseudogetulia luminosa'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Pseudographis dermatina'' Balinsky, 1989 * ''Pseudographis mesosema'' Balinsky, 1989 * ''Psorosa africana'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Pylamorpha albida'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Pylamorpha cristata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Quasiexuperius rhodesianus'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Ramosignathos inconspicuella'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Samaria inconspicuella'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Sematoneura africana'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Shebania grandis'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Shebania maculata'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Spatulipalpia monstrosa'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Staudingeria mimeugraphella'' Balinsky, 1989 * ''Trachypteryx victoriola'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Ulophora flavinia'' Balinsky, 1994

==== New genera ==== * ''Abachausia'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Afromyelois'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Afromylea'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Afropsipyla'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Ambetilia'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Aspithroides'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Azanicola'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Bahiria'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Cabotella'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Candiopella'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Cantheleamima'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Ceuthelea'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Cunibertoides'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Flabellobasis'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Hobohmia'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Joannisia'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Kivia'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Leviantenna'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Macrovalva'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Magiriamorpha'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Miliberta'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Nakurubia'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Namibicola'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Namibiopsis'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Nonphycita'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Paralaodamia'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Phycitophila'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Proancylosis'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''Pseudogetulia'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''{{ill|Pseudographis (moth)|lt=Pseudographis|nl|Pseudographis}}'' Balinsky, 1989 * ''Pylamorpha'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Quasiexuperius'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Ramosignathos'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''Shebania'' Balinsky, 1991 {{div col end}} {{clear}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

== Sources == * {{cite book |last=Balinsky |first=Borys |title=Digital Surrogate of Boris Balinsky Memoir |publisher=University of Illinois Archives |date=1988 |url=http://archives.library.illinois.edu/archon/index.php?p=digitallibrary/digitalcontent&id=297&q=balinsky}} * {{cite journal |last=Korzh |first=Volodymyr |title=Borys Balinsky: transition from embryology to developmental biology |journal=BioEssays |volume=27 |pages=970–977 |date=2005 |issue=9 |doi=10.1002/bies.20253 |pmid=16108077 |url=http://www.cecm.usp.br/~cewinter/aulas/artigos/2005/Balinsky.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923201432/http://www.cecm.usp.br/~cewinter/aulas/artigos/2005/Balinsky.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-23}} * {{cite book |last1=Willis |first1=C.K. |last2=Samways |first2=M.J. | title = Waterdancers of South Africa's National Botanical Gardens | publisher = South African National Biodiversity Institute | series = SANBI Biodiversity Series |year=2011 | volume = 21 | location = Pretoria, South Africa | pages = 108 | url = http://www.sanbi.org/sites/default/files/documents/documents/sanbibiodiveristyseries21.pdf | isbn = 978-1-919976-68-6 }} * {{cite journal | last = Fabian | first = B. | title = Balinsky's Darwinian roots | journal = South African Journal of Science | volume = 105 | issue = 11–12 | pages = 410–414 | date = December 2009 | url = https://archive.sajs.co.za/index.php/SAJS/article/view/149/122 | doi = 10.4102/sajs.v105i11/12.149 | doi-access = free }} * {{cite journal |author=E.S. Grossman |title=Borys Balinsky 10 September 1905 — 1 September 1997 |volume=101 |number=May/June |pages=309–312 |year=2005 |journal=South African Journal of Science |hdl=10520/EJC96417}} * {{cite journal |last1=Desnitskiy |first1=A. G. |title=On a contribution of Borys Balinsky to the comparative and ecological embryology of amphibians |journal=Russian Journal of Developmental Biology |volume=45 |issue=2 |year=2014 |pages=101–104 |issn=1062-3604 |doi=10.1134/S1062360414010032 |s2cid=5635200 |url=https://www.academia.edu/6715390}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balinsky, Boris}} Category:1905 births Category:1997 deaths Category:Scientists from Kyiv Category:People from Kievsky Uyezd Category:Ukrainian biologists Category:South African biologists Category:Soviet emigrants Category:Immigrants to South Africa Category:20th-century Ukrainian biologists Category:20th-century South African biologists