It is with deep sadness and regret that we announce the passing of Peter Sjoblom Ph.D, Scientific Director & Unit Manager, NURTURE, University of Nottingham, UKon 9^th October 2012. We mourn the loss but celebrate his life, a life that touched so many. ..

In loving memories from colleagues:

Dr. Peter Sjöblom joined NURTURE (Nottingham University’s IVF unit) as the unit manager in 2008 and since then, he became not only an integral part of the IVF unit but personally my ‘elder brother’ away from home. He had immense experience in the field of ART before he came over to Nottingham. Peter was involved in the human IVF field since 1986, when he received his PhD from Uppsala University, Sweden. He has held various senior embryology and managerial positions in different university and private university-associated IVF clinics in both Sweden and Australia. He was also ESHRE Certified Senior Clinical Embryologist since 2008.

His quality management and people management skills have been extra-ordinary. He always wanted to keep the quality high in what ever he did and being a kind, humble and considerate of his colleagues and friends, he was quite popular and well liked. I was always impressed with his approach to life and especially with the courage that he showed when he was suffering with ailments knowing its poor prognosis during the last year of his life. It was a great privilege for me to have known him and work with him closely for a long period of time. He was always approachable and from time to time he had given me some very helpful advices to alleviate my personal and professional concerns for which I am so grateful to him.

My friend, Alex Varghese and I felt so happy and privileged when Peter agreed to co-edit a book titled “ a practical guide to setting up an IVF lab and running the unit” with us. It is so sad that he is not here with us to see the finished book, which is hoping to be published in December 2012. He worked so hard to make this book happen and was editing many chapters while in his hospital bed. I am sure he must have been ensuring not to leave any work to us. I feel so sad to say good-bye to Peter and my prayers are with his family during this difficult time.

Dr. K. Jayaprakasan, MD, MRCOG, PhD, University of Nottingham

I met Dr. Peter Sjöblom in 1998 when I was visiting at his laboratory at Huddinge Hospital in Stockholm where he was laboratory director.  I was preparing to start working on my PhD thesis at the department under the supervision of Professor Outi Hovatta, and I then started this work in the spring of 1999 at the same time as I was working as embryologist at the IVF-laboratory under Peter’s supervision. From the start, Peter made me feel very welcome at the laboratory and at the clinic. He helped me and my family when we were moving toStockholm fromReykjavik,Iceland, which is our country of origin. Peter was generous with his time and his knowledge, it was always easy to ask him for advice and help and he made a point of always being constructive and helpful. Peter supported me in every way during the start of my thesis work - I am always grateful to him for having made moving to Stockholm so pleasant. We were always welcome in his and Yvonne’s home.

Peter then moved toAustraliawith his family and spent some years there working and studying. During this time we had only sporadic contact.  I had the good fortune to work with Peter again in Stockholm at a private IVF-clinic a few years later until we again went separate ways.

Peter was extremely knowledgeable in assisted reproduction and contributed a great deal to the field. His experience in IVF since the 1980s was surpassed by few. He was author of a great number of scientific articles, book chapters and he also was editor for academic publications in the field. Peter was a humble and generous man and his first concern was always in placing the interest of colleagues, friends and family before his own. He gave freely of his life experience and knowledge, he was unique in his generosity and kindness.

I am deeply sad that Peter has passed away, my thoughts go to his family.  I am deeply sorry for their loss. We mourn a good man, a kind man, a true friend.

Julius Hreinsson, PhD, Uppsala University Hospital