Prof. Dr. Karl O. Stetter

Karl Stetter is famous for his important contributions in Microbiology. Most of them came from him when he was at the Lehrstuhl für Mikrobiologie and Archaeenzentrum, which he headed for 22 years. During this time, he developed it into a world-renowned unique center of cultivation and investigation of hyperthermophilic Archaea and Bacteria. He made major contributions to research in evolution and upper temperature border of life and in the discovery and cultivation of more than 1500 strains of hyperthermophilic Archaea and Bacteria, representing over 50 novel species, 18 new genera and 10 novel orders. Karl Stetter is probably best known by his discovery of life at 100 and 113°C. He defined the term "hyperthermophile" to designate microbes growing optimally above 80°C (usual Pasteurization temperature). In 2003, Karl Stetter obtained the Leeuwenhoek Medal which is awarded once in ten years to a scientist who made the most important contributions in the past decennium in the field of microbiology. He developed the hypothesis of a hyperthermophilic ancerstor of life on Earth.