In Memoriam: Dr Paul Bartels – Biodiversity Visionary, Pioneer and Advocate (22 Feb 1956–9 July 2025)

It is with profound sadness that we share news of the passing of Dr Paul Bartels, a visionary scientist, pioneering biobanker, and tireless advocate for wildlife conservation. His career reflected a lifelong dedication to bridging science and conservation, and his loss will be deeply felt across the biobanking, biodiversity, and conservation communities, both in South Africa and internationally.

Dr Bartels was the founder of the Wildlife Biological Resource Centre (wBRC), initially established as a working group within the Endangered Wildlife Trust. Under his leadership, the wBRC grew into a national initiative of great strategic importance, evolving into the NZG BioBank and eventually the National Wildlife Biobank, now housed within the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). He later founded WildBio Co, a private venture, and CryoWild NPC, a non-profit organisation. 

Dr Paul Bartels cared deeply for biodiversity and conservation matters – and his legacy will not soon be forgotten.

Beyond his foundational work in wildlife biobanking, Paul contributed to education as a lecturer in wildlife management at Tshwane University of Technology. His most recent appointment was as a Research Fellow at Stellenbosch University’s Department of Animal Science, where he led cutting-edge work in Cellular Agriculture Biobanking. This emerging field aims to harness the potential of cryopreserved animal cells to develop sustainable alternatives to traditional animal-derived products—transforming industries ranging from food and fashion to conservation and medicine.

An International Tribute To Dr Paul Bartels

Paul was also scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the Joint Biobanking Conference, taking place from 29 September – 3 October 2025 at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town, under the theme:

Where worlds align: biodiversity and human biobanks.
Same, but different.

In honour of his remarkable legacy, we will be hosting a Tribute Session during the conference to celebrate his life, work, and enduring impact on the scientific community. More details will be shared in due course.

We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. Dr Bartels’ passion, humility, and relentless drive to innovate in service of both people and the planet will continue to inspire generations to come.

“The rewards of working with African wildlife outweigh the risks, for now…”

— Dr Paul Bartels