Professor Josy Reiffers passed away on the 21st September, 2015 aged 66.
Josy Reiffers was born in 1949 in Saint-Emilion, France. He went to school in Libourne and was a medical graduate in Bordeaux. Physician, Clinical Director and Professor of Haematology at the University Hospital of Bordeaux, Josy Reiffers worked in research all his life. He devoted his clinical activity to bone marrow transplantation and the treatment of acute and chronic myeloid leukaemia and established the first bone marrow transplant unit in Bordeaux.
He held many responsibilities in organising “the fight against cancer” centres. He led the Cancéropôle Grand Sud-Ouest from 2009 to 2011 and the Bergonié Institute, the regional cancer centre in Bordeaux from 2005 until his death in 2015. He was instrumental in the establishment and development of the MATWIN program. This program represents a national effort to identify and support projects in oncology, from the lab to the patients.
Josy Reiffers was also the president of the French federation of Unicancer centres from 2010. Very much engaged in public life, he was the deputy director-in-charge of University Education and Research, the cabinet of Luc Ferry, Minister of National Education. He was also assistant to Alain Juppé, Mayor of Bordeaux, with a major commitment in employment, economic development, and research and university education. From 2014, he was also vice president of the Urban Community of Bordeaux, responsible for developing the city’s economic attractiveness. As part of his scientific research, Professor Reiffers was deeply engaged with EBMT. He, together with other European clinical researchers, e.g. Norbert Claude Gorin and John Goldman, participated in the development of many studies related to autologous stem cell transplantation in acute myelogenous leukaemia and chronic myelogenous leukaemia, with a special focus on the collection of Philadelphia negative progenitor cells from peripheral blood in potential candidates for an autologous transplantation in the latter.
Josy Reiffers was a great physician and scientist recognised by his peers. His research work has advanced the care for chronic myeloid leukemia patients. He was determined in the fight against cancer and committed to patient care. He will be sadly missed. He is survived by his wife, his three daughters, and grand-children.