Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Nutritional Medicine celebrates anniversary

7/18/2025
Reading time 2 min.

Nutrition plays a crucial role for human health. Yet, there still is a lack of fundamental knowledge why people develop metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cancer. The Else Kröner Fresenius Center (EKFZ) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) bridges the gap between nutritional science and clinical medicine. On July 17th, past and current leaders of EKFZ celebrate its 20th anniversary with invited guests to share their vision for the future of nutritional medicine.

Group photo of the EKFZ professors and the advisory board — Prof. Gerhard Kramer (first from the left), TUM Vice President for Research and Innovation, together with the professors of the EKFZ and the EKFZ Advisory Board (from left to right): Prof. Alexander Bartelt, Prof. Mathias Faßhauer, Prof. Heiko Witt, Prof. Anja Bosy-Westphal, Prof. Michael Madeja (Chairman of the Board of the Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation), Prof. Martin Klingenspor, Prof. Katharina Timper, Prof. Hans Hauner, Prof. Thomas Skurk, Prof. Matthias Löhr

Professor Hans Hauner shaped the EKFZ from the very beginning in 2005. As founding director of EKFZ and Chair of Nutritional Medicine, his goal was clear: “From day one, we set out to close the gap between nutritional science and clinical practice. We needed a place where both come together — where basic lab research is right next to patient treatment.” Since then, the EKFZ has been conducting intensive research into key questions in nutritional medicine, with a particular focus on the causes and pathomechanisms of metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity, as well as the role of the pancreas and adipose tissue.

Through studies, teaching programs, and outreach events, EKFZ experts continue to share their knowledge both with experts and the general public. Also, EKFZ offers direct support of patients through nutritional counseling, weight-loss programs, and evidence-based information on diet and nutrition-related illnesses — an area EKFZ aims to further expand in the coming years.

All of this was made possible by the long-standing support of the Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation (EKFS). “It is the foundation’s mission to make scientifically well-founded knowledge on healthy nutrition accessible to the broader public,” said Dr. Dieter Schenk, Chairman of EKFS. “Both in treatment and prevention, medical knowledge must serve the well-being of as many people as possible — in keeping with the vision of our founder Else Kröner.”

Interdisciplinary expertise under one roof

Although Professor Hauner retired in October 2024, he continues to contribute to the EKFZ as a Senior Professor for an additional three years, focusing on public health and knowledge transfer. The new spokesperson of EKFZ and the newly appointed Head of the Institute of Nutritional Medicine at the TUM University Hospital is Professor Katharina Timper. “Knowledge and prevention are the best protection against metabolic disorders,” she explains. “But we also need multimodal treatment strategies, including cutting-edge pharmaceutical and surgical therapies that are proven to be effective, for example, in the case of obesity. I’m truly excited to help translate new research into clinical care in the broader society in my role as EKFZ spokesperson.”

The EKFZ is integrated into both the TUM School of Life Sciences and the TUM School of Medicine and Health — placing it at the intersection of basic and applied research. Alongside Professor Timper, Professors Martin Klingenspor (Molecular Nutritional Medicine), Heiko Witt (Paediatric Nutritional Medicine), and Alexander Bartelt (Translational Nutrition Medicine) research and teach at EKFZ. Together, they foster an interdisciplinary research environment that allows students to gain a deeper understanding of the intricate molecular connections between nutrition and health.

Professor Gerhard Kramer, Executive Vice President for Research and Innovation at TUM, emphasized: “The EKFZ is a prime example of what we aim to promote at TUM: interdisciplinary research that addresses real-world challenges, and innovative teaching that inspires the next generation of scientists to tackle major health questions of our time. EKFZ combines scientific discovery with application and education — making it a trailblazer in modern nutritional medicine.”

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Further information and links

The internationally renowned Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Nutritional Medicine (EKFZ) was established at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in 2005. In addition to conducting basic research, the center develops and evaluates strategies for the prevention and treatment of nutrition-related lifestyle diseases. While addressing general questions in nutritional medicine, the EKFZ places a particular focus on metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity.
The Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation (EKFS) was founded in 1983 by entrepreneur Else Kröner (née Fernau), who named the foundation as her sole heir. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to advancing medical research and supporting humanitarian medical projects. The EKFS draws nearly all of its income from dividends from the healthcare group Fresenius, in which it is the largest shareholder. In accordance with its charter, the foundation funds only research whose results are made publicly accessible. Since its inception, the Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation has approved over €700 million in funding for around 2,800 medical research and humanitarian projects.

Technical University of Munich

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