Anita Sydbom studied Chemistry, Zoology and Microbiology at the University of Stockholm, graduating with a Batchelor of Science in December 1966. She then began her life-long association with the Karolinska Institute working with her scientific father and mentor, the late Professor Börje Uvnäs. This was a very fruitful collaboration and she obtained her PhD in 1982. Her thesis was entitled: Anaphylactic histamine release from isolated rat mast cells: Pharmacological and methodological studies and several honorary members of the EHRS wrote to her congratulating her on this fine piece of work. The slight delay was caused by the birth of three of her four children during her PhD studies! She continued her research in the Karolinska Institute, starting another long-term collaboration with Sven-Erik Dahlén and also taught pharmacology. In 1989, to further her career she started studying medicine and discovered another passion, helping patients. She has continued with this dual role of working as a researcher and a medical doctor. However, Anita never makes things easy; her clinical work is in Funäsdalen a mere 568 km north of Stockholm!
Anita has been a member of the EHRS Member since 1979 and participated in 34 meetings and presenting her research, only missing a very few meetings due to illness or pregnancy. She has held many positions of responsibility within the society: 1983-1984, 1989 Vice National Secretary, 2003-2006 Council Member, 2006 – 2012 President of the EHRS, 2012 – 2013 Past President of the EHRS and she took over as President in 2013/2014 due to the serious illness of the President, Paul Chazot. In 2008, she organized the Stockholm EHRS meeting. Anita is also a great poet and singer. She has been updating the EHRS anthem annually since 1990 and since 1988 has written a special song for each of the meetings and is also a great photographer making sure that the society has a photo of every member attending the meetings.