Andrzej Legocki was born in 1939 in Rychwał (near Konin). He is a graduate of the Poznań “Marcinek” and the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry of the Adam Mickiewicz University. He completed his master’s thesis in chemistry (1961) under the supervision of Professor Maciej Wiewiórowski and his doctorate in biochemistry (1965) under the supervision of Professor Jerzy Pawlowicz. In 1968, he obtained his habilitation degree, and at the age of 38, he was awarded the title of associate professor in natural sciences. Eight years later, in 1985, he became a full professor in the natural sciences. Professor Legocki’s scientific activity focused primarily on the study of the mechanisms of protein biosynthesis and molecular aspects of the symbiosis of legumes with atmospheric nitrogen-fixing bacteria. He supervised 24 doctoral students and numerous master’s students.

The extraordinary organizational skills of Prof. Andrzej Legocki allowed him to lead first the Department of Protein Biosynthesis in the Department of Biochemistry at the Agricultural Academy, and later the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences (1988–2003), the Poznan Branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences (1996–2002), and the entire Polish Academy of Sciences, of which he was president in 2003–2006. In 2005, he was elected as member of European Academy of Engineering.