On March 31, 2022, Dr. Franz Maximilian Matschinsky, M.D., peacefully passed away at his home in Wallingford, PA.
Born in Breslau, Germany July 17, 1931, he emigrated to the US in 1963 and produced over 300 publications during 60 years of scientific research, ultimately leading to remarkable success and distinction in biochemistry and biophysics. Most notably, he received the Banting Medal for Scientific Achievement Award in 1995, and the Rolf Luft Award in 2020, two of the highest distinctions available in his field. He continued publishing in scientific journals until the very last months of his life.
He began his US career as a researcher at Washington University Pharmacology Department in St. Louis. There, he laid the foundation of his groundbreaking research, studying the metabolism of the insulin-producing pancreatic islets and ultimately discovering the essential sensing role of glucokinase (GCK). Ongoing investigations of glucokinase have always been at the center of his contributions to understanding fundamental aspects of human metabolism and possibly the most crucial metabolic disease, diabetes mellitus.
In 1978, Franz moved to Philadelphia and joined the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania where he stayed for the rest of his career, retiring in 2021 as Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism Perelman School of Medicine. During his tenure at Penn, Franz held the Chairs of the Diabetes Center and the Biochemistry and Biophysics Department as well as the Benjamin Rush Professorship of Biochemistry.
As the father of glucokinase research Franz had a positive impact on countless colleagues, collaborators and friends. Franz joins his beloved wife, Elke Matschinsky (née Fritz), who died on October 27, 2019. He is survived by his three children, Benno (Heidelberg, Germany), Tanja (Larkspur, California), and Stephan (Basel, Switzerland). He was a much-loved grandfather to seven grandchildren. He will be terribly missed by all those who had the chance to meet him.
A burial service for both Franz and Elke is scheduled for Thursday April 21, 2022 at 11:00AM at the Washington Memorial Chapel Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the following organizations: