Michael J. Mihatch, MD
Mike, a German native, moved to Basel, Switzerland in 1970 and began his training in anatomic
pathology in the University Institute for Pathology, directed by Professor Zollinger. Only 8
years, later at the tender age of 35, Mike, together with Prof. Zollinger, published the soon-to-beclassic 'blue bible' on "Renal Pathology in Biopsy" that complemented "Heptinstall" and drew
attention to the light microscopic and ultrastructural lesions seen in diagnostic renal biopsies.
More than 30 years later, it remains a seminal work and many of us still use it frequently as a
valuable resource. After 1978, Mike's work focused on the side-effects of analgesic drugs that
resulted in the ban of phenacetin from most analgesic medications in the mid 1980s. Mike’s
subsequent work, on the side effects of cyclosporine, helped to define the morphologic lesions of
"calcineurin-inhibitor-induced-toxicity" and to develop optimal dosing protocols for patient
management. In the early 1990s, following Helmut Feucht's landmark publications on C4d,
Basel was the first pathology department world-wide to routinely report C4d staining results in
all renal graft biopsies. Mike pioneered the incorporation of 'new markers' into the diagnostic
decision making process of renal allograft biopsies. It was not until the 1997 Banff consensus
meeting on allograft pathology, and Mike's in-depth report on the "Basel C4d staining data", that
an interest in C4d stain literally “took off”. Now, over a decade later, C4d staining is considered
the standard of care worldwide.
Mike has not only been interested in kidneys but also in various other areas of pathology,
including urogenital pathology, comparative genomic hybridization and tissue microarrays
(pioneered by Mike's mentee G. Sauter in Basel, among others). Mike’s leadership and
exceptional enthusiasm for his profession has attracted legions of highly motivated graduate
students and pathology residents to his department at the University of Basel, many of whom are
now at leading academic centers, and include department chairs in Switzerland and Germany.
For decades, Mike has embodied the very best of academic research and humanity through his
modesty, good humor, creativity, and love of his subject. By his example, hundreds of students
and colleagues have learned how to help the world through critical observation, curiosity, and
research. Mike's spirit, ideas and mentorship opened new avenues of adventure into the world of
pathology for his trainees – and many became addicted for life.
Mike also initiated many other "outreach activaties" such as “Pathology and Art” (hosting
professional style art exhibitions in the Institute for Pathology), medical lectures for the general
public called “What I’ve always wanted to know about diseases” and Basel's "Children’s
University". After officially retiring as chair of pathology in 2007, Mike became the President of
the Working Group for Nephropathology in the European Society of Pathology. In his new
capacity, Mike is spearheading new initiatives to organize and promote renal pathology in
Europe and beyond, and to strengthen cooperation with the RPS.