Head and shoulders image of Dr. Francis Hrudka, professor emeritus, Western College of Veterinary Medicine.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Frantisek (Francis) Hrudka was born 28 October 1920 in Czechoslovakia. He graduated with a DVM from Tierarztliche Hochschule in Vienna, Austria. His postgraduate degree in Tropical Medicine came from L' Universite de Sorbonne, Paris; and he defended his doctorate thesis in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Dr. Hrudka devoted his life to teaching and research in histology, spermatology and citochemistry, publishing numerous scientific papers as well as contributing to the creation of text book Basic Morphology in Farm Animals. Dr. Hrudka was department head at the Veterinary College in Kosice, Czechoslovakia during the Soviet invasion of 1968. That year he was invited to come to Canada to join the staff at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. He became professor of Microscopic Anatomy the following year. Dr. Hrudka retired in 1988 but continued to work and publish articles of research as Professor Emeritus until 1997. Dr. Hrudka died 8 January 2010 in Saskatoon at age 90.