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Tribute to Professor Peter E. Hartmann
The field of human milk and lactation research we know today has been inspired in large part by someone we are honored to call a dear friend and a mentor: the late Professor Peter E. Hartmann.
In the early 1970s, Peter was one of the few researchers investigating the protective properties of human milk and the metabolic functions of the mammary gland. Thanks to his vision, he built the basis for a new scientific appreciation of breastmilk and breastfeeding. His discoveries were like siren songs, calling others to join the emerging field.
Peter continued investigating and making discoveries for over 50 years, until his passing in 2021. Today, every researcher in the field is a beneficiary of his extraordinary, lifelong work. Peter’s legacy extends beyond the papers he published, the prizes he earned, the esteemed positions he held or the associations he led. As a colleague, mentor and friend, he gave gifts that will resonate for generations.
He advised countless students and graduated over 60 PhD candidates. He launched the Hartmann Human Lactation Research Group, today the Geddes Hartmann Human Lactation Research Group, directed by former mentee Professor Donna Geddes at The University of Western Australia.
Peter was a long-standing friend of Michael Larsson and a mentor to the Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation. He encouraged the Foundation and its unique vision from the very beginning. He served as an inaugural member of its Scientific Advisory Board, sharing his expert counsel until his passing in 2021.
His projects with the Foundation became resources that today serve health professionals, researchers, policymakers and others the world over. For instance, together with his daughter Dr. Melinda Boss and his son Dr. Ben Hartmann, they very generously contributed foundational chapters to the reference book Breastfeeding and Breast Milk – From Biochemistry to Impact. A Multidisciplinary Introduction, published by the Foundation in 2018.
Peter’s work is an everlasting gift to mothers, children and families who are living healthier lives thanks to his brave research in human milk and lactation. The Foundation is forever grateful.