Matthias Hans Tschöp (born 7 April 1967) is a German physician and scientist. He is the President of LMU Munich.Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Matthias H. Tschöp is serving as President of LMU Munich as of October 1, 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025. He previously was Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director of Helmholtz Zentrum München, and Vice President for the Research Area Health of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers.Matthias Tschöp New Vice President of the Helmholtz Association. Retrieved 12 April 2023. He was an Alexander von Humboldt ProfessorAward winners 2012: Prof. Dr. Matthias Tschöp. humboldt-professur.de. Retrieved 15 January 2014. and Chair of Metabolic Diseases at the Technical University of Munich, and an Adjunct Professor at Yale University.
Career and research Tschöp obtained an M.D. from LMU Munich (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 the German Institute of Human Nutrition (Potsdam/Nuthetal 2002–2003). He was a Professor of Endocrinology and Diabetes at the Metabolic Diseases Institute of the University of Cincinnati (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 University of Cincinnati (2009–2011).American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI). the-asci.org. Retrieved 22 January 2015. He was Research Director of the Helmholtz Diabetes Center and Director of the Institute for Diabetes and Obesity at Helmholtz Zentrum München (2011–2018).
Early in his career, Tschöp reported on the orexigenic, adipogenic, and metabolic effects of ghrelin 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) he discovered and validated the novel drug class of dual and triple gut hormone co-agonists for the treatment of obesity and diabetes, and was also a co-founder of a biotechnology company MB2 LLC that was successfully acquired by Novo Nordisk in 2015. 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) 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; however, he ultimately withdrew his application.Rektorensuche an der Uni Wien: Einziger internationaler Kandidat hat abgesagt Der Standard, 21 March 2022.
Other activities Cell, Member of the Advisory Board (since 2020)Advisory Board Cell. MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Member of Scientific Advisory BoardScientific advisory board Retrieved 27 January 2025.
Awards and recognition
2026: Corresponding Member, Austrian Academy of Sciences"Neue Mitglieder gewählt: 46 Spitzenforschende verstärken die ÖAW." oeaw.ac.at/en. Retrieved 8 April 2026. 2026: Rolf Luft Award"Professor Richard DiMarchi and Professor Matthias Tschöp receives the Rolf Luft Award 2026." Retrieved 16 January 2026. 2025: Hellmut Mehnert Award"CVOT Summit 2026 Scientific Programme." Retrieved 27 November 2025. 2025: Hector Science Award, Hector Fellow Academy"Hector Science Award 2024: Prof. Dr. Stefanie Dehnen and Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Matthias H. Tschöp are honoured with the prestigious award." Retrieved 27 January 2025. 2025: Lichtenberg Medal, Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities 2024: Honorary Doctorate, Stockholm UniversitySix new honorary doctorates at Stockholm University 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024. 2023: Heinrich Wieland PrizeProfessor Dr Dr h.c. Matthias H. Tschöp, Heinrich Wieland Laureate 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023. 2023: Ernst Schering PrizeFight against Obesity and Diabetes: Matthias Tschöp receives Ernst Schering Prize 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023. 2023: Banting Medal, American Diabetes AssociationExtraordinary Leaders in Diabetes Research, Prevention, and Treatment to be Recognized at the ADA's 83rd Scientific Sessions. Retrieved 24 March 2023. 2022: European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD)-Lilly Centennial Anniversary PrizeEASD Annual Meeting: Numerous Prizes for DZD Researchers. Retrieved 24 September 2022. 2022: Member of the Association of American Physicians 2021: Ernst Jung Prize for Medicine 2021: Berthold Medal of the German Society for Endocrinology 2020: Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) 2019: C. Ronald Kahn Distinguished Lectureship 2019–2020, Joslin Diabetes Center 2019: Paul Langerhans MedalMatthias Tschoep receives the highest honor from the German Diabetes Association. www.dzd-ev.de/en. Retrieved 7 June 2019. 2018: Carus Prize, City of Schweinfurt 2018: Member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesMatthias Tschöp receives Bavarian honor. tum.de. Retrieved 4 November 2019. 2017: Carus Medal, Academy of Sciences LeopoldinaDZD Scientist Matthias Tschöp to Receive Carus Medal. dzd-ev.de. Retrieved 7 November 2019. 2017: Charles H. Best Lectureship and Award, University of TorontoCharles H. Best Lectureship and Award. physiology.utoronto.ca. Retrieved 25 December 2017. 2017: Hansen Family Award, Bayer Foundations Retrieved 25 December 2017. 2017: Honorary doctorate degree (Dr. h.c.), University of Leipzig 2017: Rolf Sammet Professorship, Frankfurt University 2017: Outstanding Innovation Award, Endocrine SocietyDaniel J. Drucker, MD (Jan 2017). Meet the 2017 Laureates: Matthias Tschöp, MD. endocrinenews.endocrine.org. Retrieved 25 December 2017. 2017: Geoffrey Harris Prize 2016: The Victor Mutt Award 2016: European Medal of the Society for Endocrinology 2016: Elected Member, Academia Europaea 2016: ERC Advanced Grant 2014: Erwin Schrödinger Prize, Stifterverband Science Award – Erwin Schrödinger PrizeErwin Schrödinger Preis goes to Helmholtz Zentrum München. helmholtz-muenchen.de. Retrieved 15 January 2015.Moore, Charles (10 December 2014). 'Unparalleled' Results In Animal Trials Treatment To Cure Adult-onset Diabetes, Obesity. diabetesnewsjournal.com. Retrieved 15 February 2015. 2014: Paul Martini Prize, Paul Martini FoundationPaul Martini Prize: Award for new approaches in the treatment of diabetes and obesity. paul-martini-stiftung.de. Retrieved 14 January 2015. 2014: Linda and Jack Gill Distinguished Scientist Award, Linda and Jack Gill Center for Biomolecular Science at Indiana UniversityGill Symposium honors two neuroscientists for work on the brain's role in regulating metabolism. archive.news.indiana.edu. Retrieved 7 November 2019. 2013: Elected Member, German National Academy of Sciences LeopoldinaProf. Dr. Matthias Tschöp. leopoldina.org. Retrieved 14 January 2015. 2012: Werner-Creutzfeld-Award, German Diabetes Society 2012: Alexander von Humboldt Professorship, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation 2011: Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award, American Diabetes Association 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