Three years ago I accepted an invitation by Mark Josephson to get attached to his Department as a part-time scientist, “in order to have fun” in his own words. Apart from being educated by his book and publications, I had in the past co-authored with him a number of papers that had provided a firsthand opportunity to appreciate his impressive mental capacity, and almost unlimited knowledge on arrhythmias. Living and working with him, however, was perhaps the most exciting experience in my whole professional life. Mark was not just an investigator, a clinician, a teacher, an electrophysiology and ablation expert, an inspiring chief. Mark was simply a genius. Anything else is an understatement, perhaps except from the fact that, in addition, he was also an incredibly honest, politically incorrect person of uncompromising intellectual dignity.
In this special issue of the journal, leaders who knew and had worked with Mark present their personal reflection on this giant in the field. Electrophysiologists of the world owe so much to this brilliant mind. He will live forever in every published paper that contains one figure with electrograms from the human heart. Mark the friend, however, will be deeply missed.
Demosthenes Katritsis,
Editor-in-Chief, Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review
Athens Euroclinic, Athens, Greece