In memoriam: Rolf Hultcrantz (1949-2022).

On 8 July 2022, professor Rolf Hultcrantz passed away at the age of 72 years following a tough struggle with cancer.

Already during medical school at Karolinska Institutet, Rolf was involved in research combining experimental and clinical work and obtained his PhD in 1982 for studies on hepatic effects of iron overload. Following his specialty training, he played a major role in the successful expansion of clinical research in gastroenterology in Stockholm, initially with particular focus on hepatic disease. He also spent 1988–1989 at the Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco within a highly successful team where he gained life‐long friends.

He became adjunct professor in 1999 and was appointed as professor of gastroenterology and hepatology at the Karolinska Institutet in 2007. Rolf contributed strongly to the training of clinical researchers in gastroenterology and hepatology. He was the supervisor of several doctoral students and had a clear helicopter perspective which meant that the studies often became clinically relevant and thus well cited. Among Rolf's main scientific achievements can be mentioned long‐term follow‐up studies of patients with liver diseases such as fatty liver, viral hepatitis and hemochromatosis. During the last period of his work, however, Rolf worked hard with colorectal cancer screening in a large randomized controlled trial (the SCREESCO study) which will be a goldmine for future generation of scientists.

Rolf has also held many important leadership positions, both as clinical department head and as chairman or general secretary of national and international organizations. He came to the European stage and rose through the ranks of ASNEMGE. This was the European umbrella organization for the national scientific societies in gastroenterology. He was elected in 2006 to become the new ASNEMGE president. He became member of the UEG council and initiated a close collaboration with representatives of the medical gastroenterology associations to strengthen the voice of these organizations within UEG. His interest in the UEG was fueled and already in 2007 he was elected as UEG President‐Elect to serve as its President in 2010 and 2011. He had a forward looking attitude and initiated the Future Trends committee whose aim is to identify emerging trends in gastroenterology research and clinical practice that is relevant to UEG policies. As he wanted to achieve a better representation of national societies in UEG he proposed to dissolve ASNEMGE to become the National Societies Committee in the UEG. In 2011 all 41 ASNEMGE member societies were adopted as direct members of UEG. This was a masterstroke and brought national societies a step closer to the heart of UEG. With Rolf we, again, lose a gracious and visionary leader.

Above all, he was a very kind and pleasant person, and we will miss his constructive and balanced way to find solutions to both intellectual and emotional challenges, often provided with a humorous glimpse in the eye. We remember a great supervisor, friend and colleague and will keep his memory alive in all future work.

Hannes Hagström, associate professor, Karolinska Institutet

Magnus Simrén, professor, Gothenburg University

Anders Ekbom, senior professor, Karolinska Institutet

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.