It is with great sadness that we learnt that Prof. César Nombela passed away on the 14th of October 2022. César was internationally respected and provided guidance and leadership for FEMS for several years, with his roles as FEMS vice President (1991-1995) and FEMS President (1995-1998). He was also President of the Spanish Society of Microbiology (1982-1990) and the Spanish Research Council (CSIC, 1999-2000) and a respected fellow of the European Academy of Microbiology (EAM).

César held important positions on the board of many national and international organizations. He also won various respected awards and prices. We at FEMS will remember him for his selfless commitment to FEMS and to advancing the goals and mission of FEMS.  He organized the second FEMS Congress in Madrid, which was a great success and firmly established the Congress as a vital activity of FEMS. He contributed enormously to the enhancement of Microbiology and Microbiology research, especially by supporting young scientists, and to the building of a stronger European Microbiological community.

I wish to pass on from all those at FEMS and the wider microbiology community our condolences to César’s family, friends, and co-workers.

Hilary Lappin-Scott, President of FEMS

You can find out more about Cesar’s work and research here.