Geoffrey and Susanne Straub-Sharp

Dear Karen, this is so sad. We hope you and your daughters gain solace from your memories of Mark, a life well-lived, your combined achievements, and the acclaim of his many friends and fellow scientists – the sense of loss is widespread.I first met Mark during a poster session at an EASD meeting in the late 1980’s. We had an immediate bond because we were both working on the mode of action of galanin. His work was on the action of galanin to hyperpolarize the beta cell; my laboratory was working on its action independent of hyperpolarization! Susanne and I met you and Mark at various meetings later and spent a wonderful and productive 12-month sabbatical with you both in Sheffield. We learned a great deal about ion channels and human islets. It was his insight, drive and research expertise that led to those extraordinarily important studies on the mechanisms underlying congenital hyperinsulinism. Mark’s outgoing and engaging personality and his enthusiasm for work and life made it a very memorable period in our lives we still look at with great fondness. As you know best, Mark was fun to be with, had many friends who will miss him, as will a whole community of scientists.