It is a privilege to write an editorial for this special issue in honor of Günther Winkelmann. Günther’s pioneering work on siderophores from bacteria and fungi is well known in the scientific community, and Günther is also known as the founder of the BioMetals journal for which he was Editor in Chief till 2019. The first issue of the journal appeared in 1988 under the name “Biology of Metals”. The name changed to BioMetals in 2011 and is now part of the vast portfolio of Springer. The energic leadership of Günther is also at the origin of very successful number of Biometals meetings being organized traditionally every two years alternatively in North America and in Europe. The first meeting was organized in 1997 in Calgary (Canada) and the second in 2000 in Tübingen (Germany), followed by 10 other editions until the 12th Biometals meeting in Villard de Lens (France) which unfortunately had to be an online conference due to the Covid epidemy. The International Biometals Society (IBS) was formed at the initiative of the late Jorge Crosa with Günther’s support at 7th International Biometals Symposium held in Tucson, Arizona (USA) in July 2010. The aims of the Society are to promote research in the field of metal interactions in biology and to encourage the interdisciplinary exchange of information on this subject at a biennial symposium. The Journal of the Society, BioMetals is published by Springer, London and it will carry announcements about the Society. Information about the IBS can also be found on this home page. The first newsletter of the IBS society was issued in 2011 with a message from Günther who stayed president of IBS till September 2014. The last appearance of Günther at a Biometals meeting was in 2016 for the 10th international meeting in Dresden (Germany) organized by Dr. Gerhard Geipel.

Since then, the BioMetals journal is still prospering including publications dealing with the interactions of metals with different organisms ranging from bacteria to fungi, plants and humans and publishing papers on metalloproteins. After the passing of Dr. Carl Carrano, the journal will continue with at the helm Dr. Isabelle Michaud-Soret and Dr. Chris Rensing who both organized Biometals meetings.

This eulogy would not be complete without mentioning the personality of Günther, always friendly and curious. We are forever thankful for his involvement in the field of metals in biology. The BioMetals journal perpetuates his heritage.