Giovanni Gasbarrini,winner of the UEG Lifetime Achievement Award 2013

Giovanni Gasbarrin taking centre stage at the Plenary Session of UEG Week Berlin on Monday, October 14, 2013 where he accepted the lifetime achievement award from UEG President Colm O'Morain.

Giovanni Gasbarrini graduated cum laude as MD in 1960 from the University of Bologna. He specialized in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine at the same institution and started his academic career as Assistant Professor at the University of Bologna from 1964 and at the University of Chieti from 1970 onwards. He was appointed as Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Bologna in 1977 and at the Catholic University of Rome in 1993. He was Chairman of the “Specialization School in “Geriatrics and Gerontology” at the University of Bologna, School of Medicine, Italy between 1980 and 1993, and of the “Specialization School in “Internal Medicine” and “Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy” at the Catholic University of Rome from 1993 onwards.

Professor Gasbarrini contributions to our scientific field are remarkable. He is a pioneer of pathophysiological research in a variety of gastric, intestinal and liver disorders at an international level. He was an active clinical researcher with a broad interest in gastrointestinal diseases such as peptic ulcer, inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease and malabsorption, liver diseases, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, gastrointestinal oncology, pancreatic disease, alcohol-related disorders and genetic syndromes of the gastrointestinal tract, to name a few.

Among his contributions are the first electron microscopic studies of intestinal mucosa in coeliac disease and other malabsorption syndromes, studies of the role of Helicobacter pylori in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, research on the pathogenesis of biliary tract stones, studies of drug-induced and viral hepatitis and studies on small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.

Hence, Professor Gasbarrini’s contribution to the scientific literature is outstanding. He published more than 1000 peer-reviewed articles in the international literature, which were cited over 22000 times. He has been a member of many editorial boards and has served as editor of several gastroenterological journals.

Professor Gasbarrini also made equally important contributions to education in gastroenterology, and to several European gastroenterology societies and organisations. He mentored and trained many clinicians, academic clinicians and basic researchers who are active in patient care and research in gastroenterology all over the world. He organized national and international scientific conferences and postgraduate and teaching courses, with a special focus on young people at the beginning of their careers to benefit from these educational events. Besides being active in many national and international societies, he served as President of the European Association for Gastroenterology, Endoscopy and Nutrition (EAGEN), and as President of the European Helicobacter Pylori Study Group.

Giovanni Gasbarrini is married and has 3 children and 10 grandchildren.

Text provided by:

Professor Dr Jan Tack

Editor-in-Chief, UEG