Rudi Busse

Abstract

FIGURE: Rudi Busse (1943-2007)On June 27, 2007, the field of vascular biology lost one of its giants when Professor Rudi Busse passed away. To the scientific community, Rudi exemplified the scientist “made in Germany,” with all that implies in terms of thoroughness, solidity, and honesty. Not only was he a pioneer in science but also, as Blaise Pascal put it, a “honnete homme,” a man obsessed with the truth and understanding it. He remained throughout his life a true intellectual, fascinated by culture, art, and music, but at the same time enjoying the good things of life. His joie de vivre was proverbial among his friends, and we all have fond memories of the time spent together, after the discussions and the scientific debates, which were often heated, because he was a fighter for his ideas. Rudi Busse's university career was exemplary. After obtaining his medical degree in 1971 at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg in Germany, he could not resist the appeal of basic science. However, throughout his scientific life, he remained consumed by his medical background, and every one of the many pieces of brilliant research that he and his collaborators produced always aimed at the better understanding of the pathophysiology of disease and the improvement of its treatment, which is now called translational research, that he practiced all along. His early years in research (1973-1980) were at the Department of Physiology of his alma mater, where he was first an assistant and then an associate professor of physiology. He then moved on, as is so typical in the German system, to the next step of his career to the University of Freiburg (Germany), where he became first an associate (1981) and then a full (1986) professor of pathophysiology. The last step of his way upward was to become professor and chairman of the Center of Physiology at the University of Frankfurt/Main (Germany). Professor Busse's contribution to science is immense, not only in quantity (nearly 400 scientific publications) but above all in quality, the most important criterion. He was one of the first researchers to recognize the physiological and pathophysiological implications of the seminal pharmacological observation made by Robert Furchgott, who discovered the obligatory role of the endothelial cells in the vasodilator response to acetylcholine. He continued the quest for the identity of the factors released by endothelial cells and the understanding of the intricacies of the regulation of their release. His work on NO synthase, endothelium-dependent hyperpolarizations, and oxygen-derived free radicals in the vascular wall has set standards of excellence in vascular biology. This immense contribution has been well-recognized by his German peers: his election to the German Academy of Natural Sciences (Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina) and, most important, his impressive grant support record, which culminated in his being awarded one of the few German Research Foundation Excellence Initiatives, the Excellence Cluster Cardio-pulmonary System (ECCPS). In the rest of the world, his work is some of the most frequently referred to, and he belongs to the elite group of the most “Highly Cited Researchers” (http://isihighlycited.com). He will continue to be cited; we can no longer envisage vascular biology without his contribution. Rudi Busse not only was a brilliant researcher but also a great teacher. We all remember him unraveling for us the complexities of endothelial life, leaving us with the feeling: why did we not think of that? He also was a superb mentor of young people, and all over the world younger scientists that he trained continue his quest for truth and understanding. All of them are proud to have had the privilege of working with him and grateful for the lessons in science that which they received from him. Professor Busse knew that being a top researcher in one's laboratory also brings the responsibility of helping to ensure the quality of science elsewhere. He provided consistent service to the scientific community, being a member of a study section of the German Research Foundation and of several scientific advisory committees and selection committees for awards and prizes in Germany and abroad. Rudi was also a most sought-after referee for all of the important cardiovascular science journals and belonged to the editorial boards of most of them; his contributions as Editor (European Journal of Physiology/Pflügers Archiv) and Associate Editor (Circulation Research) are recalled fondly. As regards the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology in particular, Rudi was our Consulting Editor, and we always could count on him when we needed help, for which we remain grateful. Rudi's battle against disease was as exemplary as his life. He fought and continued his journey in science until the end. We have lost a colleague and a dear friend. We will always remember his drive, his insight, and above all, his smile.