Professor Oliver T. Keppler dies

With profound sorrow, LMU bids farewell to Professor Oliver T. Keppler, who passed away on 27 January 2026 after a serious illness.
Oliver Keppler had served as Full Professor of Virology at LMU’s Max von Pettenkofer Institute since 2015. Internationally regarded as an eminent authority in medical virology, he grew up in Freiburg im Breisgau, attended Atlantic College in Wales, and studied medicine in Freiburg and Heidelberg.

He discovered his interest in virology during his medical studies and embarked upon his scientific career with a doctoral thesis on a virological topic at the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum) in Heidelberg. This work was supervised by subsequent Nobel laureate Harald zur Hausen and by Michael Pawlita. Several research appointments followed, including a multi-year residency in the United States in the laboratory of Mark Goldsmith at the University of California, San Francisco. After that, he had scientific and clinical roles at the Institute of Virology of Heidelberg University, where he completed his habilitation and qualified as a specialist physician. In 2012, he was appointed to the Chair of Virology at Goethe University Frankfurt.

Keppler moved to LMU Munich in 2015, where his institute was designated by the German Ministry of Health as the national reference center for retroviruses – an emphatic recognition of his expertise. The Keppler laboratory investigates key mechanisms of virus-host interactions in HIV and SARS-CoV-2, as well as the development of chemotherapy resistance in cancer. Research focuses include HIV-induced immune destruction and latency, the development of novel antiviral approaches against SARS-CoV-2, and SAMHD1-dependent resistance mechanisms at the interface of virology and oncology.

Oliver Keppler received numerous honors for his scientific achievements. In 2022, for example, he was awarded the Bavarian Order of Merit for his exceptional commitment during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

A dedicated physician and virologist, he was as passionate about basic research and the advancement of molecular methods as he was about modern diagnostics, prevention, and therapy for all kinds of viral diseases. The translation of experimental findings into clinical practice was always his central mission, which he pursued with unwavering purpose. He constantly supported his entire team in their research, diagnostics, and teaching, fostering each individual with respect and appreciation. To his many students, staff members, and group leaders, he was a knowledgeable, sharply discerning, encouraging, and above all human tutor and mentor.

Oliver Keppler was a warm-hearted person with wide-ranging interests in science, culture, politics, and sport. His greatest anchor in life was always his wife Elisabeth, his two sons David and Levin, and his friends. Skiing, fishing, and hiking with his family were his favorite ways to unwind. It was not uncommon for new research ideas to emerge during these shared moments.

We extend our deepest sympathies to all his family and friends. With the passing of Oliver T. Keppler, LMU has lost a special individual and an outstanding, deeply committed, and highly distinguished scientist. He will be profoundly missed.