Prof. Matthias H. Tschöp, President of Ludwig Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), receives the internationally renowned Rolf Luft Award 2026 in recognition of his pioneering research in the field of diabetes, and obesity. The award underscores the outstanding importance of his scientific work for clinical innovations and global health issues.
The Rolf Luft Award is awarded annually, initially by the Karolinska Institute, and since 2005 by the Rolf Luft Foundation for Diabetes Research to outstanding researchers active in endocrinology, metabolism and diabetes research in honor of Swedish endocrinology pioneer Rolf Luft. It is considered the world's most prestigious award in the field of endocrinology and diabetes.
Tschöp receives the award together with Prof. Richard DiMarchi (Indiana University, USA) for their fundamental contributions to the development of innovative drugs for diabetes and obesity. The jury honors the “outstanding, groundbreaking scientific contribution in diabetes and obesity” of DiMarchi and Tschöp in the field of diabetes and obesity, “with basic research leading to important clinical implications.” Specifically, the foundation recognizes their “advances in peptide chemistry and the development of novel dual and triple agonists for the treatment of diabetes and obesity.”
According to the Karolinska Institute, Professors Richard DiMarchi and Matthias Tschöp discovered “a new class of drugs with unprecedented efficacy in treating diabetes and obesity.” Several versions of these so-called gut hormone poly-agonists have advanced through clinical trials, says the Institute. One representative of this drug class, containing the same active peptide ingredient, tirzepatide, developed with an industry partner, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2022 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and in 2023 for the treatment of obesity.
As of October 1, 2025, Prof. Matthias H. Tschöp is serving as President of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU). The internationally renowned physician and medical researcher previously led Helmholtz Munich and was Vice President of the Helmholtz Association for Health Research.
The award ceremony, symposium, and prize lecture are scheduled for September 10, 2026.
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In the BioM podcast (in German), Matthias Tschöp talks about his groundbreaking research achievements in understanding hunger and its regulation, his visions and goals for Helmholtz Munich, and his view of current and future research trends in the field of health.