We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our co-founder and Group Leader Amos Bairoch. Emeritus professor at the University of Geneva, he shaped the development of bioinformatics over more than three decades and played a central role in establishing SIB and its culture of openness, rigour and service to the scientific community.
Amos Bairoch, founding father of both SIB and the Swiss-Prot group, has passed away. His loss will be felt across the global life science community.
Defining quality data
Amos’s work defined what high-quality biological information should look like. He developed and curated some of the most widely used knowledgebases on proteins, including Swiss-Prot, UniProt, neXtProt – as well as on cell-lines with Cellosaurus. Across all these resources, he insisted on precision, transparent documentation and unimpeded access. He was also an early advocate for community standards and reproducible annotations, long before these ideas became widely adopted.
A biocurator at heart
Amos took great pride in being a biocurator. He viewed expert biocuration – identifying, correcting, standardising, enriching and organising biological data – as a critical scientific contribution and a foundation for reliable biological research. His meticulous approach, attention to detail and dedication to users shaped generations of biocurators and resource developers.
Collaborative spirit and mentorship
His influence extended far beyond his own projects. Amos was a generous collaborator, a patient mentor and a source of constant ideas. He encouraged young scientists, welcomed unconventional approaches and built teams marked by independence of thought and mutual respect. Many colleagues remember his curiosity, his sense of humour and the pleasure he took in sharing knowledge.
Amos shaped the very foundations of our field. His dedication to precision, openness, and scientific integrity set the standard for how life scientists everywhere access and interpret biological information. We owe him an immense debt of gratitude
Lasting global impact
Amos’s contributions were recognised by numerous honours, including the ISCB Senior Scientist award earlier this year, but his impact is most visible in the daily work of researchers worldwide who rely on the resources he created and the standards he championed.
(Re)discover his key contributions to the field
As we mourn his loss, we honour Amos by carrying forward the values and vision he embodied, continuing to build the future of bioinformatics on the extraordinary foundations he created.
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Image credit: Fabien Scotti
