“Science is the search for truth, and so is belief in God. There should be no conflict between the two,” Robin 2016

Thinking of you, Miss you.
Love
Jane xxx

I miss Robin and wish that more of us shared one of his many talents, which was to ensure that we could all see the lighter side of the worst of situations, whilst having the ability to find a good solution.
Thank you Robin.
With love and gratitude
Joan Wilson

I still often think of Robin: the sparkle in his eyes, Robin and Valerie clasping hands, ... And I think how difficult it must be now for Valerie. I wish her all the best: 'Bon courage, Valerie!'
Guido

Forever missed, but always remembered. Robin was exceptional in many ways, remembered by many with admiration, respect and love.

This morning I lost my idol. A real life idol. Someone who creates, who imagines for others, without ever placing himself above others

When he spoke of his story, he often said that he had rubbed shoulders with Nobel Prize winners. What he always forgot to say, however, is that to rub shoulders with Nobel Prize winners, you had to be at their level.

He had that creaky but never mean English humor. Always in empathy and benevolence. Always in self-mockery. Never place yourself above others but with them. Like the Robin from Batman.

At work he was supportive, never accusatory with his teams. He saw their potential in them and he loved surrounding himself with young people to help them grow and - perhaps - retain that part of youth that was beginning to elude him.

His work, in fact, for several years, he put at the service of the common good. Science, he mastered it. But how then to put it at the service of others?

I had the honor to collaborate with him while he was in this energy and this fight, against the postulates of profit at all costs and for sustainable health accessible to all.

He had this charisma and purity of soul which made it that with a few words and a few gestures he could not only explain a complex scientific concept to you but make you his ambassador, ready to defend his concept. If you saw him at the University of Geneva with an inhaler, he will have explained to you, thanks to a technology designed with his team with oxytocin, that he could save 150,000 women dying each year in childbirth in developing countries. of development. If you came to see him at the social innovation workshop we held with him at the Biotech Campus, he would have told you about this simple technology that presents to cure children of jaundice even in precarious conditions.

He could have sold these projects to the highest bidder and ended his career on a pile of gold. But it wasn’t his choice. On the contrary, he chose to tirelessly search with his friend Oliver Hartley for solutions to make them accessible to the most humble of us. Undoubtedly the reason why when I asked him which personalities could support his project, he asked me with his characteristic humor if Didier Pittet (diffuser of hydroalcoholic gel) or Desmond Tutu (to whom I will not insult to present it) could be interesting, personalities who almost immediately gave their agreement.

Robin Offord, for what it's worth, I'll give you my Nobel Prize. That of intelligence at the service of the heart. In your journey through the stars, you may travel to the heart of the Mintaka galaxy. You will feel at home there and you will continue to inspire us from up there, I know that.

Tribute from Mervyn Puleston, 11 March 2021

We are gathered here today from many different parts of the world to give thanks for Robin’s life and his many great
achievements, for his friendship and his love for his family as a father and grandfather and for his friends. We come now to commend him into the hands of his creator. We are all dependent on many things to make our lives worthwhile, but however successful we may be in other areas of our life it is the people we love and who love us that bring to it the most important quality.
When I think of Robin the three words come to mind for which I will remember him will be humility, humour and encouragement. For someone who achieved so much in his life he was never boastful or proud, and all us enjoyed his wonderful sense of humour. (If you ever read his Poisson D’Avril, written to confuse the more gullible, in the Holy Trinity magazine, you will understand what I mean. And did you ever hear him sing? A good man in an emergency too, so I am told, especially if you have had your luggage stolen on a train, or the guest speaker had not done his job.)
For those who sat at his feet his students, his friends and his family, all benefited from his words of encouragement and wisdom, whether in the laboratory, the lecture theatre, or even the diving pool or the Red Sea. (He was one of those people who, to whoever he engaged with, great or small, old or young, and perhaps especially children with whom he was always so lovely and patient, he gave them a real sense of worth and value, and would be interested in what they had to say, be it a new toy, their rheumatism, the price or fish, or the structure of a molecule.) Robin was a real anchor in so many people’s lives.)
But at the real of heart of his life there was a deep and sincere Christian life lived out through the grace of God. None of us can live a Christian life without the grace of God, (some people, the known and unknown saints, are those who were most attune to that grace, and I would number Robin amongst them.) No one was ever told to hide his light under a bushel. Through God’s grace, Robin was someone who used his many talents and gifts for the benefit of his fellow men. It would certainly be the words of Our Lord “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven” that applies to Robin. He was a true Christian gentleman and a true servant of God and to whom the Lord will surely say “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”

Tribute by Jorge Ferreira, 11 March 2021

I had the great privilege of knowing Robin through the Sunday Mass we attended together.
A simple and deep friendship united us around the life of prayer and the relationship with God. Robin was always gathered, showing a life of intense union with God and prayer. This was done with an extreme simplicity and humility that always struck me enormously and was evident in our exchanges and in the simplicity of our relationship centred on Christ.
I did not know about his important commitments and his professional life because he did not talk about them as if he was deeply detached from them. And yet, having got to know him better, I was able to measure the full extent of his commitment, particularly to the training of doctors (several of whom have told me over the past few days how competent he was, how close he was to his students and how always available he was to help them) and his commitment to the scientific search for solutions to save lives. And all this was lived out with unfailing commitment, with passion, sometimes facing obstacles that seemed insurmountable. Always and in all circumstances, prayer and his union with God prevailed, transforming obstacles into springboards allowing him to continue his holy journey in Peace and Love!
Self-effacement, simplicity, purity of heart that we could see in his face and in his luminous eyes that revealed to us the Goodness and Love of God.
Yes, Robin was an expression of a life fully lived in service to others and in contemplation of God his great love and confidant at all times. He was truly one of those little ones to whom God manifests Himself and of whom Jesus spoke when He exclaimed: "I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding this from the wise and the clever and revealing it to the very little ones" Mt.11.25
Robin had a very deep relationship with the Virgin Mary, whom he particularly loved. At the end of each Mass, he would not leave without going to the altar of the Virgin Mary in the Basilica of Our Lady to pray to her, to entrust his family, his life and his work to her.
As his health worsened, Robin wanted to receive a priest at home. I accompanied Father Joseph Nguyen. Robin wanted to go to confession, attend the Eucharist and receive the Sacrament of the Sick. With Father Joseph, we were both very moved to see with what intensity and commitment he lived these strong moments of prayer. At the end he exclaimed: "I am fulfilled! ". When we left, he asked us to surround his dear wife, Valerie.
On March 11 afternoon, the day of his departure for Heaven, we were able to visit him again at the Clinic and pray with him. Robin was very present in spite of his suffering due to his illness and he could still follow the prayers and answer Amen to each invocation with great conviction. At a quarter to midnight with his wife by his side he was able to exclaim, "God is here”! God was there for him; a man of science says so! God could not, not to be there for his child at that very moment. Thus, Jesus' words were fulfilled: "Good and faithful servant (...); enter into the joy of your master. "(Matthew 25:21).
Robin built his House on the rock; he made an indelible path in this world that did not always know how to welcome him at his true value. So, it was with Jesus and all those who followed him as faithful servants of our Creator and our God.

Tribute by Jesus Martin-Garcia, 11 March 2021

Robin was pure light, a very rare type of person who radiates light, feeds you, and nourishes you intellectually and emotionally, to make you grow, to make you better. And his light has touched all of us who are gathered to pay him a tribute.
Robin was always helping and making you do things
I was extremely fortunate to meet Robin about 20 years ago, when I was taking my first steps in the world of life sciences. I had an entrepreneurial background, but zero knowledge of life-sciences. I could not have survived in this jungle without him. He became my mentor, and had an infinite patience to explain the complexity of biology and medicine for so many hours, making it reachable by a poor lawyer’s mind as mine.
He was a key driver behind the creation of Eclosion in 2004, to help scientists that wanted to apply their discoveries, and became the Head of its Scientific Committee, a role he kept for 15 years. He was the best possible advocate for the projects, and what always struck me was his ability to renew his enthusiasm for any project with merit, as it was the first project, as it was the only project that he had ever reviewed. He made everyone feel really special.
For all of you that also knew him outside of the world of science, Robin also had a terrific sense of humor. The perfect British gentleman, always in understatements. And he had an energy impossible to resist, for laughs, and also for adventure, which is probably why I accepted to follow him diving in the dark and cold Lake Geneva, which I ultimately enjoyed only because I saw how happy it made him.
I feel fortunate to have been able to spend time with Robin, to enjoy his light.
Beyond all the fond memories, I will remember Robin as pure light, a light that helps others grow, a light that helped me grow.
A light that is not lost, as it remains in all of us, and that is adding light somewhere else now.

Tribute from Alan Offord, 11 March 2021

Ordinarily, on an occasion of this nature that my father was connected with would have involved him saying a few words that would have been just the right tone to bring everybody together and be more than a little cathartic and of course have just the right amount of humour.
Sadly, by the very definition of why we are here, that is not possible today.
It is almost incomputable that Dad’s contributions to so many lives, from his family, his scientific colleagues and from the people who shared his interests in the realms of music, languages, diving and religion, has ended.
Only really it has not. Over the 80 years of his life, he has touched so many and indeed, as a teacher in a formal, as well as a general sense, inspired so many, with advice, but often simply by example. That he will undoubtedly be affecting and improving the world for decades to come.
All people do some good and indeed some bad in their time on earth and although I have a distinct bias and know he would be embarrassed at the claim, I genuinely believe he did more of the former and less of the latter than any man I have known.
I loved him and will miss him, as will the rest of his family but I am confident that hundreds of people in many nations and walks of life, will be feeling the same.

Tribute from Margaret Omumbwa, 11 March 2021

Dear God, bless us with your divine attention as we eulogize your departed steward, Robin Offord. A good man. A man who showed compassion to the vulnerable, to the marginalized and to those who are often forgotten in this world.
In his simplicity, he has brought relief to the weak and new life to countless children and mothers in Africa. For this, we shall always be grateful and pray dear Father, that his efforts to do good do not count for nothing, but yield fruits that will last for generations to come.
Bring glory to yourself dear Father as we speak of the good work of this, your servant. May those impacted by his work and generosity tell of your goodness to them.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Your servant has lived a good life. A man who had no boundaries; with a desire to serve humanity and with a passion to bring solutions in the health sector, remember him in his time of rest. Bring all who rest in Christ into the fullness of your kingdom where sins have been forgiven and death is no more.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Turn your face towards us as we mourn and renew our spirts. Give us solace and strength dear Father, to mourn our departed and turn our sorrow into joy that we may leave this place inspired, renewed and refreshed.
We may be brokenhearted, but we are not crushed in spirit because Robin will live in our hearts. Reassure us of your presence as we ponder on the sojourn of this your servant.
Show us your gracious favour, Spirit of God, and sustain us in the coming days as we reflect with sober minds on stewardship and our individual purpose in life. May we believe, like Robin, that all things are possible, with the help of God. Order our steps, that we too may make good of our time and talents to serve mankind. 
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
We say thank you Robin, Shukran na amani ya bwana iwe nawe. (Thank you and May the peace of the Lord be with you)

Tribute from Oliver Hartley, 11 March 2021

It’s a great honour for me to have been asked to say a few words about Robin, my colleague and my friend. I was one of Robin’s closest collaborators for over 20 years, almost half my life, but only a third of Robin’s long career. I hope that there will be another occasion to pay tribute to Robin’s many scientific achievements, but today I will provide just a brief sketch.

Trained as a physicist, Robin specialized in biochemistry at the Laboratory for Molecular Biology in Cambridge, where he rubbed shoulders with a constellation of Nobel Prize winners. He then moved to Oxford, where he rapidly evolved into world-renowned researcher, leading to an invitation to become a Full professor at the Faculty of Medicine here in Geneva in 1980. He was particularly attracted to Geneva by the opportunity he saw to integrate biochemistry into medical research, a theme that explains Robin’s numerous entrepreneurial activities in the biotechnology sector and his long-term service to the region’s life science incubator.

Robin’s colleagues will tell you that while he loved looking at new data and had a keen sense of scientific rigour, he also had a sharp sense of humour with an appreciation for the lighter side of life. Robin was an extraordinary and inspirational teacher, as a whole generation of medical students in this region will recall with appreciation and affection.

In addition to those academic qualities, Robin was a kind and gentle person with the capacity to understand other people’s characters with empathy and without judgement. He was often sought after for advice or to resolve conflicts, and it is not by chance that he was often given official positions that depended on these rare qualities, both at Oxford and in Geneva.

So you can imagine how nice it was for me to work with Robin. When I joined him in 1997, he had just started on a project to combat the spread of HIV and AIDS, which by then had become less of a problem in the developed world but was out of control in poorer regions, particularly sub-Saharan Africa.

By the time Robin reached retirement age in 2005 we had brought the project to a stage at which it needed to be spun-out from the University, and Robin was determined to dedicating his retirement to taking it forward as far as possible. But since we were developing a medicine for people living in poorer regions, the usual routes for biotechnology investment and development that he knew so well were closed.

The solution was to set up a charitable foundation to fund and perform the work that is normally done in industry. Robin chose the name ‘Mintaka’, after a bright star in that is equally visible from the northern and southern hemispheres. The name symbolizes the vision of the Foundation: a world in which everybody on the planet has access to the medicines they need.

Robin kept working until the very end. I am glad that he lived to see Mintaka’s first projects come to fruition, not only the HIV project but also a second initiative that he devised and led to save the lives of mothers who suffer uncontrolled bleeding after they have given birth. In both cases, Mintaka managed to advance the projects sufficiently to enable them to be brought into strong and durable partnerships with the resources and expertise necessary to bring the new medicines to the people who need them.

I got to know Robin well during this time, two important things I learned were how much Robin cherished his family, and how important his faith was in determining how he chose to live and to work. Robin told me that he sincerely hoped that Mintaka would become his legacy, and what a fitting legacy it would be to a man who combined so much talent for science and innovation with such a drive to fulfil a humanitarian mission.

When things were going well for Mintaka and we reached important milestones, Robin would keep his obvious delight in check, putting on one of his voices and saying to me: “We done good, eh?”
In closing I’d like to say this to Robin: “You done good”.

Tribute by Jane Barron, 11 March 2021

Dear Dad,
There are many things I could say,
many things I have written.
Yet many are too personal to share here.
I know you hear them
I know you see them.
For now, I would like to tell a simple tale,
of a father and a daughter
a beginning an ending and a new beginning.
We shared a memory a day in the days up until February 21st my birthday,
some we laughed at, some we sang to, some made me cry.
These too memories that I share today show to me you cared for me as well as the rest of our humanity.
You told how you felt on looking up at my room window on the first night in our first family home, the joy you felt knowing I was save.
You spoke of the sadness you felt the day I left our last family home Driving home looking up at my bedroom window, the light was gone
and so was I.

I now believe you will be able to keep your promise and we will meet again and I will hold you hand. For now we walk side by side.
All my love
Miss Mouse

Poem by Alan Amos for Robin, 11 March 2021

For humour in the voice,
for a twinkle in the eye
for rejoicing and for mirth --
for Robin we give thanks

For memories far and sweet
for friends both far and near
for all that brings us cheer
for Robin we give thanks

The man is now at peace
but we trust his ready wit
will be treasured by the One
who values all things good

And may angels now attend
us all in times of need,
and the enduring bond of love
through all our being move

And for Robin we give thanks

Tribute to Robin Offord by Trevor Davies, 22 March 2021

You will be hearing of Robin’s academic life and work shortly but I am going to tell you about our friend ship since the family arrived in Geneva in 1980. Over the first years our wives met and socialised at school and later through the IWCN In Nyon. We had regular contact and this evolved into special times over the main Christian celebrations at Christmas and Easter which continued for over 35 years sharing the normal vicissitudes of life. This continued until this last year when Robin’s illness prevented this from happening. The deaths of various family members on both sides have brought us closer together to the extent that we see other as extended family members with our children maintaining personal contact.
Robin was a remarkable man. He had a brilliant mind with unsurpassed knowledge on many many subjects, on which he could talk with authority and humility. Coupled with a great memory he was a great asset to any quiz team ! What characterised Robin was his quiet demeanour and humble attitude to life.He never complained about others and had a very open and respectful approach to those he met. He treated people equally and honoured them in their context.He listened carefully and was able to contribute to many a person’s life with judicious words of advice or comfort.
He was generous in sharing knowledge, his talents and his time. On one occasion we had a leak in the basement of our house of heating oil which resulted in damaging a collection of 19th century hymn books. Robin and Valérie came to visit. Without saying much over what we could do he quietly consulted with experts in the U.K. what solvent could be used to clean the books. We spent several Saturdays together cleaning the books page by page very successfully. His making such a commitment was much appreciated but not unusual. On another occasion a Swiss friend who ran a diving club, fell ill and asked Robin if he could take some classes for him. He did so willingly and ended up running the club for several years, Although I must add Valerie found it a headache storing wet and dry suits every week ! Another illustration of his generosity and commitment to sharing.
He had a special gift in languages and he was known for that when at Oxford. From Geneva, he once organised a diving holiday in the Red Sea and decided it would be useful to speak Egyptian Arabic . He taught himself the language within six months, in time to be able to discuss with the crew of the boat he had hired. It proved very useful when an accident occurred later in the trip. My daughter and husband went on that trip and told me of his invaluable help to the crew and authorities with his Arabic.
Over the years we spent many meals together as families and our children had great friendships together. It became a tradition to spend Christmas New Year and Easter holidays together having up to 14/15 people at a time. Out of a great generous and loving heart many people celebrated in their home, from work colleagues (who will forget 1st August celebrations on the Lake !) to church friends and no one was left out on their own.
Robin also loved music, especially folk music and was an accomplished guitar player. He especially appreciated folk music and he particularly appreciated Gaelic music and we would sometimes get together to perform on church activities. We always ended up composing some funny ditties or songs.
All this was driven by a desire for justice, particularly in the field of health. On his supposed retirement he established the Mintaka foundation. If you have not heard of this I urge you to read the web page which explains why it was founded, to bring more justice into a world of much injustice in the field of médecine . He was passionately committed to bringing about positive change. All this was accompanied in a gentle, quiet and yet persistant way.
Above all, Robin can be described as a man of integrity. His life was based on the principles of his faith which he quietly practised. He was a man of patience- yet persistent, a man of purpose and sincerity, a man of creativity and courage, a man of love and loyalty......

Thank you Robin for such an inspiring example !

Tribute to Robin from Ceracuity
It is my sad duty to report that we lost our esteemed friend, co-founder, former director and current member of our Scientific Advisory Board. Robin E. Offord, PhD on March 11th. He succumbed to his fight against cancer which emerged in the fall of 2020. For several years, he had also been heroically battling the effects of Parkinson's disease. Dedicated to the end, Robin attended our last Board and SAB meeting on the 8th of February from his sickbed.
Robin was an incredible man in so many ways. He was a true polymath possessed of a giant intellect, a gentle spirit, encyclopedic recall, and a quick wit. He was a PhD in chemistry and physics, an Oxford Don and a full Professor at the University of Geneva Medical School. He spoke several languages and loved music. He was a family man and a man of faith. To know him was a joy and to work with him a pleasure.
We shall surely miss Robin, as we have missed Phil McCarthy. Both of them were men with purpose who recognized a big problem and were big enough to lend their efforts toward a finding a solution to that problem. They were men who had a passion for making the world a better place for those afflicted with neurodegenerative diseases. They would want us to soldier on and continue the fight which we shall do for so long as we are able.

Tribute from Philippe Halban, March 2021

Such desperately sad news. Robin was my first real link with
academic Oxford when I came up in 1968. We were just 10
years apart in age but decades in human and scientific experience.

He taught me all I know about biochemistry walking across
the Parks in Oxford, hardly ever in his office. I have him to
thank and Prof. Albert Renold for my career in science and
not just any success I may have had but above all, the sheer
pleasure and excitement of research.

He was a most gentle giant of a man: generous, caring, the
funniest person I ever knew, critical when he had to be but
always fair.

I was pleased and proud he followed me to Geneva where he
made such an impact at the University and then of course
through his many charitable and social actions!

Tribute from Fabrice Cerini, April 2021

C'est avec une immense tristesse que j'ai appris le décès de Robin et c'est avec une
grande émotion que j'écris ces quelques mots.

Robin a été sans aucun doute la personne la plus importante dans ma carriere
professionnelle mais il a également eu une place particulière dans ma vie privée.
Ses immenses compétences scientifiques, sa pédagogie inégalable, sa patience, son flegme, son humanité m'ont guidé pendant des décennies comme jeune laborantin mais également plus tard dans ma vie de père de famille.

Il a toujours eu les mots justes pour me conseiller et m'encourager dans mes
projets tant au laboratoire que dans mes engagements sociaux, humanitaires,
sportifs et dans mes loisirs plus ou moins risqués.

Je n'oublierais jamais qu'il m'a accordé sa confiance, dès les premières heures de
ma présence au laboratoire, malgré mon apparence de hippie qui contrastait avec
sa stature toute britannique.

Il avait aussi cette écoute attentive qui permettait de discuter "entre homme" sur tous les sujets possibles, toujours respectueux de l'avis de son interlocuteur.
Il m'a également soutenu lorsque je traversais les épreuves douloureuses.

Il m'a appris que le sérieux de la science et du travail pouvait être associés à la
légèreté, la bonne humeur et ses déguisements de derniere minute aux fameuses
Fêtes de Noël du département resteront à jamais gravés dans ma mémoire.

Même après sa retraite du monde académique, ses conseils, son courage et sa
bienveillance m'ont accompagné et m'ont motivé dans mes démarches.

Sa santé chancelante n'avait pas entravé sa soif de science, sa générosité et sa
volonté de mener à bien ses projets.
Son courage exemplaire va me guider toutes ces prochaines années.

Je ne perds pas seulement mon patron, mon mentor, mon instructeur de plongée,
mon barman préféré avec ses légendaires Irish Coffee, mais ce qui est plus rare
dans le monde professionnel, je perds un ami.

Voilà ce que représentait Robin pour moi et je ne saurais jamais comment
lui témoigner toute ma reconnaissance.

Robin’s kindness, wit, generosity, dedication and joy will be remembered always. Joan Wilson

I miss you today, and everyday. Always with me. Xx

For Robin's lively personality, gentleness and wit I continue to give thanks.

Diplomatic yet sufficiently mischievous to keep decorum with joviality, Robin inspired by his proper way of being silly, his serious pursuit of remedies to world class problems, and his ever present joie de vivre. Together with Valerie, they fill the room and my heart with an uplifting spirit of hope and joy. In memory, Robin persists as an eternal source of confidence, which enables me to see myself and the world about me with optimism. 

Robin was an inspiring entrepreneur. He was among one of the founders of Geneprot, a swiss based Biotech that did not make it but he took risks and inspired many. Out of this experience, he nurtured many young scientists and new entrepreneurs that today play important roles in proteomics and genomics that I enjoy following on my Linkedin. He was also a great person to talk about world matters and I spent many enjoyable hours talking with him. Goodbye Robin was great to spend some intense time together.

Robin was, and always will be, a huge influence on me. As a student in Oxford and a postdoc in Geneva, we worked together for the best part of 20 years. A few snapshots come to mind. Robin, when I first met him pointing out the plane of the ecliptic in the sky above Tom Quad in Oxford. Robin in tutorials so enthusiastically describing macromolecular structure-function relationships that you could not help but be inspired. Robin expertly demonstrating techniques in the lab. Robin’s office door always open. Going in to his office say how an experiment had not worked and Robin saying that every one of the wrinkles on his forehead was an experiment that couldn’t fail. Going in to his office to tell him of a really exciting result and being told that was fine, but go and do it again. Robin behind the bbq at the house in Bossy.
Robin was an inspirational teacher, scientist and human and was always ready to give help when you needed it. Steph and I are very grateful that we knew him and our deepest sympathies go to Valerie and the family.    

We pray to Almighty God to give him peace in Heaven and give his Family all strength to bear the loss. I have known Robin and Valerie for a long, of course, through the peptide society. 

Under his American Peptide Society presidency, Andrei Yudin and I run the 2015 American Peptide Symposium in Orlando. He was calm, generous, and a great mentor to me. It was a privilege and honor to work with him and learn from him. I will never forget his long emails full of new ideas for peptide communities. Robin was involved as a Scientific Advisor in the early days of Amylin Pharmaceuticals, where I spent a significant time on my biotech life!!! We will miss him!

Robin was ever present in my career – from the time that I constantly referred to his Biochemistry textbook as a student in Toronto until I was privileged to work with him many years later. Robin was a good friend, a wonderful collaborator, a truly great scientist and one of the best human beings I have ever known – a man who lived his faith. His presence among us will be sorely missed.

Deeply saddened by Robin's passing, a man I learned to appreciate late in our common careers as peptide scientists. Most of the time we met during numerous American Petite Society meetings and in particular during his tenure as president of this society. Once I learned that he is also a SCUBA divemaster and, after his academic retirement, his wholhearted engagement into his Mintaka foundation I saw him in a very different light and I believe we became friends. My deepest feelings to Valerie and his family

I was so sorry to learn the sad news of Robin Offord's passing. Robin will be greatly missed but warmly remembered by his family and friends.Robin was the epitome of politeness both in person and in writing. I will treasure warm memories of our chats at American and European Peptide Symposia,as well as at Gordon Research Peptide Conferences over the past forty years.Robin was proud of his Irish Heritage and would always greet me in Gaelic. He talked endearingly about his Irish born mother;Eilleen.My Irish born wife Carmel and I had the pleasure of meeting Robin and Valerie in Mexico in 2012 at the Zing Peptide Chemistry Conference in Rivera Maya.Carmel warmly remembers the wonderful chats she and Robin  had about his mother.I learned for the first time there of Robin's passion and exceptional talent for Scuba Diving!He was a certified Master Scuba Diving Instructor! Robin's many outstanding contributions to Peptide Science and to the American Peptide Society have been eloquently  highlighted in many earlier tributes here .In addition to all of these contributions, I was highly impressed by his highly novel approach to the develoment of heat stable inhaled oxytocin  for treating Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) in subsaharan Africa.I first heard him talk about this very challenging project at the Zing Peptide Conferen ce in Mexico in 2012 with an update at the 2014 Gordon Conference in Ventura ( cochaired by Les Miranda and Dek Woolfson):subsequently reported in Fabio K. et al AAPSPharmSciTech 2015,16(6),1299-1306..This exciting approach was recently highly endorsed as a very worthwhile approach ( subject to the results of Clinical Trials) for the treatment of PPH in resource poor countries. (See Carvalho N .et al.BMC Medicine (2020 18:201.I've no doubt that Robin was greatly enthused b y this very recent endorsement.
Robin's legacy will live on, not only in the memories of his family and friends ,but also  in the lives of the countless women saved by this much needed therapy for PPH .
 Carmel joins me in sending our deepest condolences to Valerie and family and to all others who mourn Robin's loss.

Robin arrived in Oxford in (I think) 1967. A couple of years earlier I had become tutor in biochemistry at University College. The students needed tutorials in physical biochemistry, which I couldn’t teach; so I asked Robin if he could help, and that was how we became colleagues.

Robin was wonderful at teaching: knowledgeable, sympathetic with even the weakest students and totally reliable. But we soon became not only colleagues but also close friends. We met often, in the Department or in the College, and I marvelled at his learning in many topics. He was remarkably erudite and remarkably broad-minded, and I greatly enjoyed the conversations about any topic under the sun. When I got to know Valerie I found that she and Robin had one of the most harmonious marriages I’d ever witnessed.

After Robin moved to Geneva I met him less often, of course, but we corresponded frequently and I learned about his work at the Mintaka Foundation – work that is characteristic of Robin’s practicality, his inventiveness and his passionate desire to help the less fortunate.

It’s a privilege to have known Robin, and my warm sympathy goes to Valerie and all the family.

Robin was the professor i/c BIONET a small group of crazy scientists and IT guys supporting Medical Biochemistry with technology and data acquisition tools at Geneva University in the early 1980s. I'll miss his very British sense of humour and unwavering support for advancing technology in the service of science. Farewell Robin.

I was saddened to hear the news of Robin's passing away. From my time as one of his D.Phil students, I fondly remember his patience, enthusiasm and unfailing support, also his dry sense of humour.

Robin always impressed me with his very quietness, sweet gentleness and glinting humour from the early days when I first knew him with Valerie at Cambridge till our more recent group re-unifications fifty and sixty years later.
It was a privilege to know him, and always a delight to see him and Valerie so happily together. A wonderful man who will leave a lasting legacy to science and all he touched with his inspiration and kindliness.

What a delightful person Robin was ! And his life no doubt continues within the greater life of God.  Clare very much enjoyed a talk he gave at Holy Trinity about his charitable project. I regret that I did not know him better than I did, but I could tell he was someone of great charm and humour, and life-giving as was said in the funeral service.  It was a beautiful occasion, and at the end of the service the church was flooded with light and colours from the West Window. It was a moment that was in tune with our thoughts and memories of Robin.  Remembering him with gratitude,  Alan and Clare Amos

Robin truly embodied graciousness: always the cleverest person in the room, he shared his encyclopedic knowledge generously and welcomed all contributions, even the silliest ones from us as pesky kids. As a (hopefully) slightly less pesky adult I always so much enjoyed conversations with Robin on topics ranging from astronomy to marine life via the therapeutic potential of cannabidiols and the trials and tribulations of GMP certification. I never stopped learning from him. What a role model. He lives on in everyone’s memories and in his legacy of the Mintaka Foundation. And of course as flambé-er extraordinaire of Christmas puddings. Repose en paix, Robin.

I have fond memories of working with Robin on the American Peptide Society Council when he was Secretary and I was President. He was dedicated to the APS, and I valued his wise counsel, integrity, and unwavering support in meeting the challenges we faced. He was highly respected as a person and a scientist and will be greatly missed. 

First met Robin a number of years ago when Valerie and he visited my mother, Gwen. My mother was a sister to Valerie's mother. He was an unforgetable character, friendly, outgoing and extremely interesting to listen to. Since then, we have met a number of times and always had the same warm, friendly conversations. We learnt much about his work and we took a lot of interest in progress. His sense of humour was wicked. Will remember this man with great affection, he will be missed by everyone

I first met Robin in Cambridge as the boyfriend of Valerie a fellow Girtonian. My husband and I lived in Oxford after we were married but I don't recall seeing them there though they may have been there after we moved to Derbyshire. Once our group of Girtonian Geographers started to meet up at re-unions I was able to renew my acquaintance with them both and to realise what an erudite and knowledgeable man he was. He always listened with interest to other people's ideas and was happy to discuss any topic. his sense of humour was great and it was a privilege to have known such a lovely man. May he rest in peace. 

Uncle Robin - the world will be a dimmer place without you! Always you were humble, kind, intelligent and extremely witty. It was and is a privilege to be your nephew, thank you for all the love, kindness and patience you have shown me throughout my life. You have been an unrivalled role model.

A great loss, sending love and comfort to Robin's family x x

While I had the pleasure of being a fellow worshipper at Holy Trinity for many years with Valerie, I only once had the opportunity of talking with Robin. It was after a service when it was still possible to meet at the café across the road from the bus station We had a long chat covering an amazing diversity of subjects including amongst others his experiences with Wall Street in trying the get the financing he needed for his projects and the Celtic origin of many place names - including Geneva itself – which, because of his Irish Gaelic, he was easily able to identify. Our lives will be poorer without you, Robin.

Robin was a very special and kind man. He leaves behind so much to be admired, his science, his wide range of interests, but not least, his beloved family,
He will be greatly missed

We lost a great scientist and a friend. He was a fighter in the peptide field and Peptides as a Drug. My association with Robin goes back to Aachen, Germany while he visiting Prof Zahn Lab at the Germany Wollresearch Institute , in the beginning of 1970, and constitutes over the years We work together with Robin , when he was officer of the APS. His wisdom and personality helped advance the goal of the society .
By passing of Robin, the peptide community , lost a Giant in the field , and we lost a dear friend and colleges. may rest in peace . and our condolence goes to his family and the peptide community at large.

It was a great privilege to know Robin. A caring, compassionate, supportive and very generous person. The time spent in the Offord family was always full of laughter and interesting conversation - never a dull moment. Robin was always welcoming and supportive throughout my school, university studies and beyond into my career.

Robin was most admirable in his profession, his values leading him to put humanity above profit, and save lives. He was also, and very importantly, a wonderful person whom we shall all miss sorely.

The world was a better place with Robin in it. We will all miss him and his contributions to the Society, Science and Life. He bestowed much wisdom, including the suggestion that I spend more time with my own father before he passed, which I did and truly appreciated.

Robin was such an interesting, caring, humorous person to chat with, whether on serious subjects (the danger of H1N1, faith and how we live it) or on more humorous ones. Who can forget his article on the Wurlitzer water-organ to be installed in HTC! He was a lovely human being. A very great loss for his family, his friends, the scientific community. My great, great regret is that I didn't get to know him better.

I will always remember Robin for two things; first, he delivered the most excellent lectures at several conferences that I attended. From the first one I told my students that his talks were always a perfect example to follow in any presentations they might make in the future. Second, Robin served the APS as President-elect during my two years as President and I frequently called him for long discussions about important issues facing the Society. His wise council and calm and generous demeanor helped me get through those years. When he assumed the office of President he enacted many of the topics we had discussed and all in the APS are in his debt for his leadership.

Rest In Peace, Robin. We will always remember your sense of humour, your wits, and your commitment to peptide science.

He personified what it means to be a gentlemen and a scholar. His leadership in the field of semisynthesis is internationally recognized. He was always prepared to willingly offer his assistance and creativity to advance the field of peptide and proteins sciences. His thoughtful constructive leadership of the APS came at a most delicate time in the history of the society. I will miss his dry wit and persistent encouragement for his colleagues and his family.

I'm so sad to hear of Robin's passing. I first met him through our mutual association with Gryphon Sciences in 1997, and I thereafter enjoyed and looked forward to seeing him at all of the subsequent APS meetings. His wit, sense of humor, impeccable scientific prowess and charm will clearly be missed by the entire peptide community and the scientific world. Valerie and his family have my deepest condolences!

On behalf of the members of the TyndaleSociety worldwide, this is to acknowledge the respect and admiration felt for Robin, whom we have known chiefly through Valerie.
His personal charm and humane compassion were tangible even for those of us who were rarely able to experience them first-hand. A great soul: he will be sorely missed.

As one of Valerie’s waifs and strays welcomed into the Offord household some thirty years ago and thus into the lives of Valerie and Robin, I will always be grateful. Grateful especially for the wonderful friendship that has been built up over the past three decades.

I’ve returned to stay on several occasions over the years, and I have always had the greatest admiration for Robin. His interests were varied and inexhaustible, from his commitment to his diverse and life saving projects in the field of medicine, to his impressive knowledge of languages, and his love of diving. Breakfast and supper was never boring, and always accompanied by a good measure of dry humour.

Over the years I’ve always looked forward to reading about Robin’s latest achievements in Valerie's yearly Christmas letters. They were true ‘Round Robin’s' in every sense of the term.

My heart goes out to Valerie at this time. Robin will be sorely missed.

Paul Thompson