Professor Andrzej Szczeklik, distinguished scientist, dedicated physician, active member of the EAACI and respected by all of us, died unexpectedly 3 February 2012 in Krakow, Poland, at the age of 73.

After graduating from the University of Krakow and carrying out his internship in the USA, Professor Andrzej Szczeklik worked for several years in the Academy of Medicine in Wroclaw. Between 1990-1993 he became Rector of the Copernicus Academy of Medicine in Krakow. Then, in 1993, he was elected Vice-Rector for Medical Affairs of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, where he was professor and chairman of the Department of Medicine since 1989.


His main research focused on aspirin-induced asthma, cardiopulmonary disease and eicosanoids involved in their pathogenesis. He was the first to propose in 1975 “a prostaglandin hypothesis” linking the pathomechanism of hypersensitvity to aspirin and other NSAIDs with inhibition of cyclooxygenase and with  abnormalities in arachidonic acid metabolism.

Professor Andrzej Szczeklik received of several international awards including the First  Prize of “The Lancet” for reporting on genetic polymorphism of leukotriene C4 syntase , the scientific prize of the Royal College of Physicians in  London, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology “Robert A. Cook Memorial Lectureship” and the “Clemens von Pirquet Award” of the EAACI.

Author and co-author of near 600 papers, Professor Andrzej Szczeklik published in several international medical journals such as NEJM, Nature, JACI or The Lancet.

In addition to his excellence in medicine he was also man of broad talents: he played piano, painted and wrote esseys. He published two very well received books “Catharsis: on the art of medicine” and “Core” (both translated to several foreign languages) trying to find a deeper, more spiritual meaning in the practice of medicine.

Professor Andrzej Szczeklik has left us all with memories of his great personality and accomplishments that will never be forgotten.

Cezmi Akdis
EAACI President