Astrid Sigel has studied languages and was an editor for the Metal Ions in Biological Systems series (until Volume 44) and also of the Handbooks on Toxicity of Inorganic Compounds (1988), on Metals in Clinical and Analytical Chemistry (1944; both with H G Seiler), and on Metalloproteins (2001; with Ivano Bertini) (Dekker, New York).

Helmut Sigel is Emeritus Professor (2003) of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Basel, Switzerland, and a previous editor of the MIBS series until Volume 44. He serves on various editorial and advisory boards, published over 300 articles on metal ion complexes of nucleotides, coenzymes, and other ligands of biological relevance, and lectured worldwide. He was named Protagonist in Chemistry (2002) by ICA (issue 39); among further honours are the P. Ray Award (Indian Chemical Society, of which he is also an Honorary Fellow), the Werner Award (Swiss Chemical Society), a Doctor of Science honoris causa degree (Kalyani University, India), appointments as Visiting Professor (e.g. Austria, China, Japan, UK) and Endowed Lectureships.