Gerhard Luef

Our friend and colleague Gerhard Luef, head of the epilepsy working group and epilepsy outpatient clinic at the Department of Neurology of the Medical University of Innsbruck, passed away far too early on 28 October 2023, after four years of patiently enduring his illness - which he never mentioned to anyone.

He was open-minded, humorous, always positive and optimistic and had a wide range of interests. With his positive charisma, he meant and gave a lot to his fellow human beings, especially his family and close friends. Professionally, his top priority was to provide the best possible patient care. However, he was also interested and well-versed outside the field of epileptology and enjoyed the finer things in literature, music and the visual arts. As a collector, he often made the "right move", not purely out of a passion for collecting, but to surround himself with these works of art. Other hobbies included relaxing on his terrace with a view of the mountains, going for walks with his dog Vito, cycling in the countryside and, most recently, reading. In addition to Stefan Zweig and Thomas Bernhard, his favorite authors were his school friend Manfred Baumann with his Salzburg crime novels and herb stories.

Gerhard Luef was born in Salzburg on 6 November 1959. After graduating from high school, he studied in Innsbruck from 1979 to 1987 and was active as a student representative on numerous university committees. After a subsequent research fellowship, he quickly found a position at the University Clinic for Neurology under Professor Franz Gerstenbrand and later Professor Werner Poewe, despite the glut of doctors at the time. From 1988 to 1994, he completed his residency with many years of productive and pleasant collaboration with the last two of us. During a study visit to the Swiss Epilepsy Center in Zurich in 1995, the first also got to know and appreciate him.

From 1996, he held a lectureship in pre-surgical epilepsy diagnostics at the University of Innsbruck, followed by his Ph.D. thesis in 2003 with the venia legendi in neurology and professorship. His research focused on hormonal and metabolic disorders in epilepsy, not only in women and under valproate therapy, but also on the little-discussed topic of "epilepsy and men". He dealt with "Pregnancy and epilepsy" both as co-editor and author of a corresponding book and as national coordinator of the EURAP study (acronym for European Registry of Antiseizure Drugs in Pregnancy), a prospective register started in Europe and now recruiting worldwide to record pregnancies under the intake of antiseizure medication. In addition to professional publications, providing information to people with epilepsy has always been a particular concern of his. For example, in 1996 he supervised the Austrian edition of the book "Epilepsie. Vom Anfall bis zur Zusammenarbeit", and in 2005 he co-authored the second edition of the patient training program "MOSES - Er-Arbeitungsbuch. Modular Training Program for Epilepsy". He was a nationally and internationally known and sought-after expert and speaker.

His pleasant, friendly and sociable manner helped him to solve problems and achieve a great deal. Gerhard always had an open ear for the problems of his colleagues and other employees. He not only made a name for himself at the university and in the Medical Association, but also took on a leading role. He was able to do this because of his political flair and his sense of justice. The "cause" of neurology and epileptology was always more important to him than personal ambitions. Together with Christoph Baumgartner and Eugen Trinka, he succeeded in forming a group of young, interested doctors in the emerging field of Austrian epileptology, which organized numerous events on its own initiative long before the "Young Epilepsy Section" in the ILAE or the "Young Neurology" in the Austrian Society for Neurology existed, at that time still without chief physicians and clinic directors. The meetings of the German-Austrian-Swiss working group (DACH-AK) on epilepsy or the meetings of the "Young Epileptology" in the Salzkammergut with Drs. Dieter Janz or Hermann Doose were also important.

As head of the epileptology working group, he always gave his staff the freedom to pursue their own activities and was listening and appreciative, always open to discussion. His extensive knowledge went far beyond epileptology and neurology. It was always possible to have a little chat with him and exchange ideas. His light-heartedness brought an often balancing lightness to everyday life and opened up new perspectives.

Gerhard Luef is survived by his wife Simone from Brazil, his 17-year-old son Johannes and his sister Gabriele. All our sympathy goes out to them. We will always remember Gerhard fondly, he will remain unforgotten.

Photo credit: www.i-med.ac.at/mypoint/thema/777847.html

Günter Krämer
Neurocenter Bellevue, Zurich (Switzerland)

Iris Unterberger
Department of Neurology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck (Austria)

Eugen Trinka
Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Institute, Christian-Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg (Austria)