Suche
Mein Konto
Mourning for Professor Jochen Guck: A pioneer of biophysics left us
Professor Jochen Guck, the first Humboldt Professor at TU Dresden, died on October 3, 2025. He was a pioneer in cell biology.
Mourning for Professor Jochen Guck: A pioneer of biophysics left us
The Dresden scientific community mourns Professor Jochen Guck, who died on October 3, 2025 at the age of 52 after a serious illness. Guck was a prominent figure in cellular machine research and left a lasting impression on the fields of biomechanics and biological optomechanics.
Born in Schweinfurt in 1973, his academic path took him to the University of Texas in Austin, where he earned his PhD in physics in 2001. Guck then worked as a group leader at the University of Leipzig before moving to the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge as a lecturer in 2007. In 2009 he was appointed reader there, which further consolidated his expertise.
Academic career and contributions
In 2012, Guck took over the Chair of Cellular Machines at the Technical University of Dresden and became the first Alexander von Humboldt Professor at this institution. From 2014 to 2018 he was both deputy and managing director of the Biotechnological Center (BIOTEC) before becoming director at the Max Planck Institute for Light Sciences (MPL) in Erlangen in 2018. In this role he also headed a department at the Max Planck Center for Physics and Medicine (MPZPM).
His research involved a paradigm shift in biology by exploring physical phenomena at the cellular level. Guck developed innovative techniques, including real-time deformability cytometry (RT-DC), and his work in Brillouin microscopy contributed significantly to the understanding of cell mechanical processes. The focus of his research was on the application of mechanobiology in medicine, particularly on the use of mechanical properties of cells.
Achievements and awards
Professor Guck was not only a respected scientist, but also an inspiring teacher and mentor. He promoted interdisciplinary collaboration and played a key role in the founding of the Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering (CMCB) and the Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life (EXC PoL). During his career, he published over 145 peer-reviewed publications and received numerous awards, including the U.S. Cozzarelli Award. National Academy of Sciences in 2008 and the Greve Prize of the Leopoldina in 2024.
Under his influence, a new look was taken at the self-organization of cellular components to form living systems. Guck's work expanded the understanding of collective properties in living systems and also influenced the field of microscopic robotics, where he recognized the potential for developing controllable microrobotic systems.
The Dresden scientific community and the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Light express their deep condolences to the family and friends of Professor Jochen Guck. His death represents a great loss to the world of science and research, from which his legacy will live on. Guck leaves behind not only impressive scientific contributions, but also a passionate community of students, scientists and colleagues who were inspired by his teachings.