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EFIS mourns the passing of Fritz Melchers

Georg Friedrich (Fritz) Melchers was born in 1936 in Berlin. He studied Chemistry and obtained his Dr. rer. nat. with Georg Zachau at the Institut for Genetics at the University of Cologne, working on ribonucleic acids. Between 1965 and 1971 he developed his enthusiasm for immunology, at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin, the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot and at Stanford University.

In 1970, he joined the Basel Institute for Immunology, and made it a prime research institution as its director, from 1980 to 2001, with small independent research groups, flat hierarchies and „open doors“, and the Nobel laureates Tonegawa, Jerne and Köhler.  His own research focus was on the development of B lymphocytes, with groundbreaking discoveries of their precursors and a detailed analysis of their antibody formation, including the discovery of the "surrogate light chain“. In 2001, Fritz became a Max Planck Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin, and in 2017, he joined the German Rheumatism Research Center (DRFZ) as Leibniz Chair. Inspiring research throughout his career on very early and very late B cell development, microRNAs, Fc-receptors and plasma cells, his work led to numerous awards, including the prestigious Robert-Koch and Emil von Behring prizes.

Apart from being an outstanding scientist, Fritz was recognised as a superb organizer and international networker. He was invited to numerous advisory and editorial boards and scientific academies, and served as president of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS). In 1989, Fritz was programme chair of the impressive 7th international congress on immunology in Berlin, just before the wall came down. With his scientific curiosity and scepticism, his charm and dedication, Fritz was and always will be a role model for young scientists.

EFIS extends its heartfelt condolences to Fritz Melcher's family, friends, and colleagues during this time of loss.