Jean-Pierre Guignard has passed away. He was 82 and still a young man.

Jean-Pierre was a citizen of the World. He was born in 1939 in a small village in Switzerland. He then received a classical education in Lausanne and attended medical school there. He became an MD in 1964 and received his PhD in 1966, with special interests in pediatric pharmacology and physiology. Jean-Pierre wanted to explore science in other countries, so he trained in London (London Hospital Medical College and St. Thomas Hospital), Vancouver (University of British Columbia), Montreal (McGill), and Mexico City (Hospital del Seguro Social).

In Switzerland, Jean-Pierre developed one of the most dynamic clinical and research centers, starting hemodialysis in 1974, kidney transplantation in 1975, and peritoneal dialysis in 1978. He also created an outstanding Renal Experimental Research Laboratory within his clinical department (the main door of the lab being in front of his office!). He focused his research on the developing kidney and research merging physiology and pharmacology and he developed an original newborn rabbit model. This allowed him to train 48 research fellows from 16 countries, and also to host some famous scientists on sabbatical. This also led him to publish more than 550 articles and book chapters between 1966 and 2016!

Jean-Pierre was also very active in teaching, editing textbooks, and organizing international meetings, including the annual ESPN meeting in Lausanne in 1996. He always wanted to put his touch to meetings, combining science and skiing, and offering Swiss knives or Swiss watches to participants, including the name of the meeting on it! This was Jean-Pierre’s delicacy.

Due to his background and his international recognition, he created an incredible network of friends and scientists, and he also knew how to take care of all!

Jean-Pierre’s amazing position in the heart of Western Europe led him to give more than 600 invited conferences and teaching courses worldwide, because people enjoyed hearing him, and he always brought original science, unconventional cartoons, extensive culture, fascinating historical backgrounds, and humoristic comments. An outstanding speaker, always making simple the most complex problems!

Jean-Pierre also always tried to help developing countries by training colleagues, providing care and participating at teaching missions (Algeria, Vietnam, Cuba), and contributing to the development of the IPOKRaTES Foundation.

Jean-Pierre founded the European Society of Pediatric Pharmacology and created the International Symposium on Perinatal Nephrology, and he has been a member of both ESPN and IPNA councils (1995–2001). He had been honored by the Swiss Society of Pediatrics, by Lausanne University, by ESPN as an honorary member, and finally by receiving the Ira Greifer IPNA Award (2016), in recognition of his major input in developmental renal physiology and his outstanding capacity to connect people and make them grow.

But he never sought personal valorization — he was a humanist, and his art of practicing medicine was based on truth, hope, and above all life before illness.

After retiring in 2004, Jean-Pierre remained connected to many of those colleagues and patients who missed him, still publishing in Pediatric Nephrology in 2021, and sharing his time between Lausanne and the nice countryside in Vaux.

Jean-Pierre was a lover. He loved humans. He loved babies. He loved medicine. He loved art and peace. He loved simplicity. He loved sharing. Above all, he loved his wife and eternal accomplice Françoise, his daughter and treasure Anais, and his grandchildren Maxime and Margaux.

Thank you Jean-Pierre for your input and leadership!

Thank you Jean-Pierre for your kindness and your modesty!

Thank you Jean-Pierre for your precious and unfailing friendship, and for your constant respect for others.

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