Research

Research priorities: Metabolic disease, prevention and treatment of obesity and diabetes

Matthias Tschöp is a German physician. His research focuses on dissecting the molecular underpinnings of diabetes and obesity in order to discover new preventive and therapeutic approaches for the metabolic syndrome.

Currently, the IDO team is aiming to develop innovative interdisciplinary approaches in collaboration with physicists, engineers and chemists for the personalized prevention and treatment of obesity, diabetes and concomitant diseases.

Career

• since 2018 Scientific Director at Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Germany
• since 2016 Director of Biomedicine, Pioneer Campus, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Germany
• since 2012 Adjunct Professor, Yale University, USA
• since 2012 Alexander von Humboldt Professorship, Technical University of Munich, Germany
• since 2011 Professor for Metabolic Diseases, Technical University of Munich, Germany
• since 2011 Research Director of the Helmholtz Diabetes Center; Director of the Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Germany
• 2010-2011 Arthur Russell Morgan Chair of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, USA
• 2009-2011 Research Director, Cincinnati Diabetes & Obesity Centre, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, USA
• 2009-2011 Professor, Institute for Metabolic Diseases, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Dept. of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, USA
• 2003-2009 Associate Professor, Dept. of Psychiatry & Medicine, Obesity Research Center & Genome Research Institute, University of Cincinnati, USA (Tenure since 2007)
• 2002-2003 Scientist, Department Pharmacology, Deutsches Institut für Ernährungsforschung (DIfE), Potsdam-Nuthetal, Germany
• 1999-2002 Postdoctoral Scientist, Discovery Research, Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Co., Indianapolis, US
• 1995-1999 Researcher, Neuroendokrinologische Arbeitsgruppe des Klinikums Innenstadt, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
• 1995-1999 Assistant Physician, Klinikum Innenstadt der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
• 1987-1994 Studies in Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (doctoral dissertation 1998)

Functions

• since 2020 Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)
• since 2014 Member, Kommission nach § 15 Abs. 1 TierSchG. der Regierung von Oberbayern
• since 2013 Elected member of the Helmholtz Think Tank, Helmholtz Association
• since 2013 Member, Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) of the Technische Universität München
• since 2013 Scientific Advisor to Böhringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG and Bionorica SE

Projekte

• seit 2018 DFG-Sonderforschungsbereich „Einfluss von Adipositas und gewichtsreduzierender Therapie beim Pankreaskarzinom“, Teilprojekt zu SFB 1321: Modellierung und Targeting des Pankreaskarzinoms
• seit 2018 DFG-Projekt „Die Funktion von TRPM8 in der systemischen Regulation des Energiestoffwechsels“, Teilprojekt zu TRR 152: Steuerung der Körperhomöostase durch TRP-Kanal-Module
• 2015-2020 DFG-Schwerpunktprogramm „Entwicklung von T3-Peptid-Konjugate als neues Therapieprinzip zur Behandlung des Allan-Herndon-Dudley-Syndroms (MCT8 Defizienz)“, Teilprojekt zu SPP 1629: THYROID TRANS ACT - Neue Konzepte der Schilddrüsenhormonwirkung
• 2015-2019 DFG-Projekt „NUTRIPATHOS - Nährstofftransport in Astrozyten und Regulation des Energiestoffwechsels“
• seit 2014 DFG-Projekt „Neuroendokrine Regulierung der Atherogenese“, Teilprojekt zu SFB 1123: Atherosklerose: Mechanismen und Netzwerke neuer therapeutischer Zielstrukturen
• 2013-2018 DFG-Projekt „Molekulare Grundlagen der patho-physiologischen Mechanismen von Incretin-Rezeptoren mit generellen Implikationen für Familie B GPCRs“

Honours

• 2019 Paul-Langerhans-Medaille, Deutsche Diabetes-Gesellschaft (DDG)
• 2017 Charles H. Best Lectureship and Award, University of Toronto, Canada
• 2017 Carus Medal of the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• 2017 Hansen Family Award, Bayer Foundations
• 2017 Rolf Sammet Guest Professorship, Frankfurt University, Germany
• 2017 Honorary doctorate degree (Dr. h.c.), University of Leipzig, Germany
• since 2016 Elected Member of the Academia Europaea (AE)
• 2014 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
• since 2013 Member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• 2012 Werner-Creutzfeld-Award, German Diabetes Society
• 2012 Alexander von Humboldt Professorship
• 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)
• 2007 Scientific Achievement Award, The Obesity Society (TOS/NAASO)