Mourning for Rolf Hilgenfeld: Pioneer of biochemistry died

Mourning for Rolf Hilgenfeld: Pioneer of biochemistry died

Bad Schwartau, Deutschland - On June 19, 2025, the science world lost one of its outstanding minds. Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Rolf Hilgenfeld, an important German biochemist who contributed significantly to research Coronaviren, died in Bad Schwartau at the age of 71. Companions.

Rolf Hilgenfeld was born in Göttingen on April 3, 1954 and knew early on where his path was to lead. He completed his studies in chemistry at the universities of Göttingen and Freiburg, where he finished his diploma in 1981. His scientific career led him through the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry and the Free University of Berlin, where he did his doctorate in 1987 with a dissertation about the structure of a vegetable protease. From 1995 to 2002 he was director of the Institute for Molecular Biotechnology and moved to the University of Lübeck in 2003, which he headed until his retirement in 2020 as director of the Institute for Biochemistry.

a pioneer of virus research

Hilgenfeld was not only a passionate scientist, but also a pioneer in the field of German structural biology. His works on the structure of viruses such as Sars, Mers-Cov, Zika and Sars-Cov-2 have made him known internationally. Especially during the 2002/2003 SARS pandemic, its publication on the three-dimensional structure of the SARS virus protease caused a sensation and laid the foundation for the development of antiviral active ingredients. He worked closely with research institutions in China and was recognized as one of the "Highly Cited Researchers 2024". [[1]] (https://www.dzif.de/de/stillem-beben-rolf-hilgenfeld)

Hilgenfeld's interdisciplinary approach, biochemistry, virology and active ingredient research combined, led to significant progress in the development of medication. An outstanding success was to clarify the structure of the main Proteease MPRO of the SARS-COV-2 at the beginning of 2020, which made it possible for his team to develop an alpha ketoamide inhibitor that was also effective against Sars-Cov-2. These achievements brought him the Carl Hermann Medal of the German Society for Crystallography in 2023.

a lasting legacy

Hilgenfeld's commitment to science also extended beyond research. As early as 2010, he actively campaigned for the preservation of the medical faculty of the University of Lübeck, which shows his deeply rooted connection to his institutional homeland. Until his death, he worked as a senior professor at the Institute for Molecular Medicine at the University and is particularly active in the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF). His tireless work is highly valued in the professional world and beyond. [[1]] (https://www.dzif.de/de/stillem-wenken-rolf-hilgenfeld)

With Rolf Hilgenfeld, science not only loses a scholar, but a person who has beaten bridges between disciplines. His inheritance will continue to live in biochemistry and virology and pave the way for future generations of researchers. [[2]] (https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolf_hilgenfeld)