Miquel Vilafranca (2023)
It is with profound sadness that we have to report the loss of another one of our colleagues,
Miquel Vilafranca, DVM, Ms, PhD, DiplECVP, on July 5, 2023, after a difficult battle with cancer.
He will be missed not only from a professional but also from a personal point of view since he
was a really friendly person trying to find always the good side of things.
Miquel was born in Barcelona, Spain. He obtained her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in
1989 at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and his PhD in 1992 at the University
of Hannover studying the bases of glomerular renal pathology in the dog. He worked as an
Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal Health and Anatomy of the UAB from 1992 to
1996. After that, he co-founded Histovet Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (an ECVP Registered
Residency Training Centre) in Sant Quirze del Vallès, Barcelona (Spain). Miquel was among the
small group of anatomic pathologists pioneers to sit the first ECVP examination in 1999.
His research activity began addressing glomerular disease in dogs and setting the criteria for
the classification of glomerulopathies in this species. He also contributed to veterinary
pathology through various studies in diagnostic pathology, investigation of tumour markers
and reviews of certain pathologies in small animals.
Our veterinary pathology community lost an accomplished member and dear friend. He was
really helpful and transparent, two virtues that reflect the top-quality person that he was. We
will miss his great personality, his vast knowledge in the field of veterinary pathology and his
irreplaceable contributions to our daily work, always rigorous and accurate.
He will be sorely missed, and our thoughts are with his family, colleagues and friends.
Valentín Pérez (2023)
Our dear colleague, Valentín Pérez Pérez, Full Professor of Veterinary Pathology at the
University of León, Spain, diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Pathologists and
the European College of Small Ruminant Health Management, and a very active member of the
Spanish Society of Veterinary Pathology (SEAPV), has passed away prematurely at the age of
58 in the city of León.
Today is a very sad day for the Veterinary Pathology community. Valentín has been one of the
greatest exponents of our specialty in Spain and many other countries. Throughout his career,
he worked tirelessly to teach students, fellow pathologists, and other veterinarians, sharing
very good moments and experiences with them. Valentín was a kind, generous, and
conciliatory human being. His research focused on ruminant diseases caused by intracellular
infectious agents, mainly mycobacteria, and he contributed vastly to increasing our knowledge
of pathogenesis and immune response.
There are no words to describe the pain we feel. A much-loved SEAPV member, who
contributed so much to society using pathology as a tool, has left us. From the SEAPV, we send
our deepest condolences to his family and friends during these very sad moments. May he rest
in peace.