Matthias H. Tschöp (born 7 April 1967) is a German physician and scientist. He is the chief executive officer and scientific director of

Helmholtz Zentrum München Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), also known as Helmholtz Munich, is one of Germany’s leading non-university centers for biomedical research. It operates as part of Helmholtz Health, the h ...

, German Research Center for Environmental Health. He is also Alexander von Humboldt Professor and chair of metabolic diseases at

Technical University of Munich The Technical University of Munich (TUM or TU Munich; ) is a public research university in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It specializes in engineering, technology, medicine, and applied and natural sciences. Established in 1868 by King Ludwig II ...

and serves as an adjunct professor at

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

Career and research

Tschöp obtained an M.D. from the

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich The Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (simply University of Munich, LMU or LMU Munich; ) is a public university, public research university in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Originally established as the University of Ingolstadt in 1472 by Duke ...

(1993), where he worked as a clinician (1994–1998) in neuroendocrinology before accepting a research fellowship at the Eli Lilly Discovery Research Laboratories (1999–2002) and leading a research team at th
German Institute of Human Nutrition
(Potsdam/Nuthetal 2002–2003). He served as a Professor of Endocrinology and Diabetes at the Metabolic Diseases Institute of the

University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati, informally Cincy) is a public university, public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1819 and had an enrollment of over 53,000 students in 2024, making it the ...

(2003–2009), before being named the Arthur Russell Morgan Endowed Chair of Medicine, and Research Director of the Metabolism Center of Excellence for Diabetes and Obesity at the

(2009–2011). He was Research Director of the Helmholtz Diabetes Center and Director of the Institute for Diabetes and Obesity at

(2011–2018). Early in his career, Tschöp reported on the orexigenic, adipogenic, and metabolic effects of

ghrelin Ghrelin (; or lenomorelin, INN) is a hormone primarily produced by enteroendocrine cells of the gastrointestinal tract, especially the stomach, and is often called a "hunger hormone" because it increases the drive to eat. Blood levels of ghrel ...

and its secretory control by nutrients, which has had a major influence on human obesity and diabetes research. His corresponding publication in ''Nature'' is among today's most frequently cited metabolism research papers. It added a fundamental pathway to the current model of body weight and glucose control and established novel drug targets for metabolic diseases. Tschöp went on to further dissect gut-brain communication pathways, based on GI-hormone signaling and lessons from unraveling the molecular underpinnings of gastric bypass surgery. Together with his close collaborator Richard DiMarchi (

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...

) he discovered and validated the novel drug class of dual and triple gut hormone co-agonists for the treatment of obesity and diabetes. These new drugs simultaneously target several receptors and reduce body weight and blood sugar with unprecedented efficacy. Several of these compounds are in clinical trials for the treatment of diabetes and obesity and one representative of this drug class, the GIP/GLP1 receptor dual agonist Tirzepatide (Mounjaro,

Eli Lilly and Company Eli Lilly and Company, Trade name, doing business as Lilly, is an American multinational Medication, pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with offices in 18 countries. Its products are sold in approximately 125 count ...

) was FDA approved for diabetes in 2022. Tschöp and DiMarchi more recently went on to discover and validate another class of drug candidates by engineering peptide to deliver steroid/small molecules to selected cell populations. In 2022, Tschöp was a candidate to succeed Heinz Engl as rector of the

University of Vienna The University of Vienna (, ) is a public university, public research university in Vienna, Austria. Founded by Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria, Duke Rudolph IV in 1365, it is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and among the largest ...

; however, he ultimately withdrew his application. As of January 2023, he is the vice president for health of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers.

Other activities

* ''

Cell Cell most often refers to: * Cell (biology), the functional basic unit of life * Cellphone, a phone connected to a cellular network * Clandestine cell, a penetration-resistant form of a secret or outlawed organization * Electrochemical cell, a de ...

'', Member of the Advisory Board (since 2020) * MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Member of Scientific Advisory Board

Awards and recognition

* 2025: Hector Science Award, Hector Fellow Academy * 2025:

Lichtenberg Medal The Lichtenberg Medal (German: Lichtenberg-Medaille) is the highest award of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities. It was established in memory of the Göttingen scholar Georg Christoph Lichtenberg. It has been awarded since 2004 (eve ...

Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities The Göttingen Academy of Sciences (name since 2023 : )Note that the German ''Wissenschaft'' has a wider meaning than the English "Science", and includes Social sciences and Humanities. is the oldest continuously existing institution among the eig ...

* 2024: Honorary Doctorate,

Stockholm University Stockholm University (SU) () is a public university, public research university in Stockholm, Sweden, founded as a college in 1878, with university status since 1960. With over 33,000 students at four different faculties: law, humanities, social ...

* 2023:

Heinrich Wieland Prize The Heinrich Wieland Prize is awarded annually by the Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation for outstanding research on biologically active molecules and systems in the areas of chemistry, biochemistry and physiology as well as their clinical importance ...

* 2023:

Ernst Schering Prize The Ernst Schering Prize is awarded annually by the Ernst Schering Foundation for especially outstanding basic research in the fields of medicine, biology or chemistry anywhere in the world. Established in 1991 by the Ernst Schering Research Foun ...

* 2023: Banting Medal,

American Diabetes Association The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is a United States-based nonprofit that seeks to educate the public about diabetes and to help those affected by it through funding research to manage, cure and prevent diabetes, including type 1 diabetes ...

* 2022: European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD)-Lilly Centennial Anniversary Prize * 2022: Member of the

Association of American Physicians The Association of American Physicians (AAP) is an honorary medical society founded in 1885 by the Canadian physician Sir William Osler and six other distinguished physicians of his era for "the advancement of scientific and practical medicine ...

* 2021:

Ernst Jung Prize The Ernst Jung Prize is a prize awarded annually for excellence in biomedical sciences. The Ernst Jung Foundation, funded by Hamburg merchant Ernst Jung in 1967, has awarded the Ernst Jung Prize in Medicine, now €300,000, since 1976, and the lif ...

for Medicine * 2021: Berthold Medal of the German Society for Endocrinology * 2020: Member of the

European Molecular Biology Organization The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) is a professional, non-profit organization of more than 2,100 life scientists. Its goal is to promote research in life science and enable international exchange between scientists. It co-funds cour ...

(EMBO) * 2019: C. Ronald Kahn Distinguished Lectureship 2019–2020,

Joslin Diabetes Center Joslin Diabetes Center is the world's largest diabetes research center, diabetes clinic, and provider of diabetes education. It is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Among the Harvard Med ...

* 2019: Paul Langerhans Medal * 2018: Carus Prize, City of Schweinfurt * 2018: Member of the

Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities The Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities () is an independent public institution, located in Munich. It appoints scholars whose research has contributed considerably to the increase of knowledge within their subject. The general goal of th ...

* 2017: Carus Medal,

Academy of Sciences Leopoldina The German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (), in short Leopoldina, is the national academy of Germany, and is located in Halle (Saale). Founded on 1 January 1652, based on academic models in Italy, it was originally named the ''Academi ...

* 2017: Charles H. Best Lectureship and Award, University of Toronto * 2017: Hansen Family Award, Bayer Foundations * 2017: Honorary doctorate degree (Dr. h.c.),

University of Leipzig Leipzig University (), in Leipzig in Saxony, Germany, is one of the world's oldest universities and the second-oldest university (by consecutive years of existence) in Germany. The university was founded on 2 December 1409 by Frederick I, Electo ...

* 2017: Rolf Sammet Professorship, Frankfurt University * 2017: Outstanding Innovation Award,

Endocrine Society The Endocrine Society is a professional, international medical organization in the field of endocrinology and metabolism, founded in 1916 as The Association for the Study of Internal Secretions. The official name of the organization was changed t ...

* 2017: Geoffrey Harris Prize * 2016: The Victor Mutt Award * 2016: European Medal of the Society for Endocrinology * 2016: Elected Member,

Academia Europaea The Academia Europaea is a pan-European Academy of humanities, letters, law, and sciences. The Academia was founded in 1988 as a functioning Europe-wide Academy that encompasses all fields of scholarly inquiry. It acts as co-ordinator of Europe ...

* 2016: ERC Advanced Grant * 2014: Erwin Schrödinger Prize, Stifterverband Science Award – Erwin Schrödinger Prize * 2014: Paul Martini Prize, Paul Martini Foundation * 2014: Linda and Jack Gill Distinguished Scientist Award, Linda and Jack Gill Center for Biomolecular Science at Indiana University * 2013: Elected Member, German National

* 2012: Werner-Creutzfeld-Award, German Diabetes Society * 2012: Alexander von Humboldt Professorship,

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation () is a foundation that promotes international academic cooperation between scientists and scholars from Germany and abroad. Established by the government of the Federal Republic of Germany, it is funded by t ...

* 2011: Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award,

* 2010: NIH/NIDDK 60th Anniversary Scholar Award * 2010: André Mayer Award, Int. Association for the Study of Obesity, IASO * 2009: Elected Member, The American Society for Clinical Investigation, ASCI * 2007: Scientific Achievement Award, The Obesity Society, TOS/NAASO * 2007: Christina Barz Award of the German Society for Psychiatry, Neurology and Psychosomatic Medicine * 2002: Young Investigator Award, European Neuroendocrine Association, ENEA * 2001: Schoeller-Junkmann Award of the German Endocrine Society, DGE * 2000: Lilly Research Laboratories President's Award * 2000: Eli Lilly Endocrine Research Award for Science

References

External links

* * Prof. Matthias Tschöp
Chair of Metabolic Diseases, TUM School of Medicine
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tschop, Matthias H. 1967 births Living people 21st-century German scientists Members of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina Members of Academia Europaea Members of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences