Digital Book of Condolences / Digitales Kondolenzbuch Jochen Guck

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“It was such a sad day when we learned that Jochen would not make it after all. This is a tragic loss of a great scientist in the prime of his career, who would surely have enriched biophysics with many more exciting discoveries. I enjoyed the fascinating discussions about physics that I had with Jochen, where his passion shone through. In addition to being an inspiring researcher, he was also a wonderful colleague, working with whom was always easy because he was so considerate of others. It is hard to imagine MPL and MPZPM without Jochen now. I hope his spirit lives on.”

Florian Marquardt (Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg)

"I had the pleasure of meeting Professor Jochen Guck on multiple occasions through the collaborative efforts of the Max Planck-uOttawa Centre of Extreme and Quantum Photonics.
While our fields did not overlap directly, I found his work intriguing and always appreciated how thoughtfully he motivated and explained it, enabling even those of us outside his discipline to appreciate its goals, challenges, and significance. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversations and remember them with great fondness." 

Jer Upham (Quantum Photonics Group, Max Planck-uOttawa Centre of Extreme and Quantum Photonics)

 

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jochen Guck. We had the privilege and pleasure of sharing a part of Jochen’s journey during our years together in Dresden, as colleagues and friends. His groundbreaking research ideas laid the very foundation for our company. Even more than that, his drive to translate research into application, his openness and curiosity, his unwavering optimism, his encouragement, and his support set us on our path and will remain an integral part of everything we do. Without Jochen, our journey would not have been possible, and he will always remain deeply appreciated. Our thoughts are with his loved ones. He will be dearly missed.”

The Zellmechanik Dresden team (Christoph Herold, Daniel Klaue, Nadine Schmieder-Galfe, Oliver Otto, Philipp Rosendahl)
 

Liebe Familie Lorenz-Guck,

mit großer Trauer nehmen wir Abschied von unserem Direktor Prof. Dr. Jochen Guck. Als Personalabteilung hatten wir das besondere Glück, ihm in vielen Situationen begegnen zu dürfen.

Wir erinnern seine Klarheit und Fairness, seine Ruhe in schwierigen Momenten und die Wärme, mit der er Menschen zusammenbrachte. Er hat Türen geöffnet, Perspektiven ermöglicht und jedem das Gefühl gegeben, wichtig zu sein. Er hat unser Institut nicht nur geführt, sondern geprägt: durch Respekt, Vertrauen und die Überzeugung, dass gute Arbeit aus guter Zusammenarbeit entsteht. Viele von uns bewahren persönliche Bilder – ein Lächeln im Gespräch, die Freude über gelungene Schritte, ein kurzer Blick, der Mut machte. Diese Erinnerungen sind uns kostbar.

Wir danken Prof. Guck für alles, was er uns gegeben hat, und fühlen uns Ihnen in dieser schweren Zeit aufrichtig verbunden. Sein Wirken wird in den Menschen weiterleben, die er begleitet und gestärkt hat.

In Anteilnahme,
das Team Personal/Travel/Welcome Center des MPL & MPZPM
Laura, Caroline, Viktoria, Alexandra, Carolin, Franziska, Lea, Michelle, Nadja, Nina & Parwonne

Traurig, dass Sie gehen mussten,
erleichtert, Sie erlöst zu wissen,
dankbar, Sie kennengelernt zu haben.

In großer Trauer nehmen wir Abschied von unserem geschätzten Direktor Prof. Dr. Jochen Guck.
Er war ein leidenschaftlicher Wissenschaftler und vor allem ein Mensch, der durch sein Engagement, seine Wärme und seine Leidenschaft beeindruckte. 
Persönlich wird er vielen von uns in Erinnerung bleiben als jemand, der zuhören konnte, unterschiedliche Sichtweisen zu schätzen wusste und mit Humor wie Herzlichkeit begegnete. 
Wir verlieren mit Prof. Dr. Jochen Guck nicht nur einen herausragenden Forscher und Direktor, sondern einen Menschen, der auf besondere Weise unsere Gemeinschaft geprägt hat.

Wir, das gesamte Team des Sachgebietes Einkaufs wünschen den Angehörigen viel Kraft.
Matthias, Nina, Michael, Manfred, Anja, Andreas und Patrick

 

„I’m your boss, but not bossy.” – Jochen Guck told me at the beginning of my postdoc time in his lab while he was in Dresden. And that’s how I’ll always remember him.

Dominic Eberle (Saxon State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Labour, Energy, and Climate Action)

So sad and surprised to hear of Jochen's passing.  I had the pleasure of meeting him in 2012/3 when I spent a sabbatical at the MPI in Dresden.  Jochen was an incredibly innovative scientist - he will greatly be missed.

Pablo A. Iglesias (Head Electrical and Computer Engineering, John Hopkins University, Baltimore)

I last saw Jochen Guck giving a presentation in Copenhagen this summer, as always covering great science and being very inspiring.
At the occasion, I was deeply saddened to learn about his illness, and now even more saddened by his much too early passing.
Jochen Guck should be remembered not just for excellent science but also for being kind and considerate, also to distant colleagues.

Kirstine Berg-Sørensen, Technical University of Denmark

I was very surprised and saddened by the passing of Jochen. I have very fond memories of doing our PhDs together in Austin, where we overlapped for many years. It was great to have him as a colleague and especially as a friend.

Charles Baroud
 

Dear Jochen,

I will miss your positivity, I will miss your frank advice, I will miss the fun evenings together that somehow always involved a glass of beer. But I happily think back on the many fun years we had together on floor three of BIOTEC, where the Guck and Grill lab roamed the hallways.

Your dear friend Stephan
(Stephan Grill, MPI-CBG Dresden)

It has been a privilege and an honor to have known and many times have met Jochen throughout his scientific career. I will never forget that he once offered me a ride in his car from a Gordon Research Conference in Italy back to Germany, and later invited me for a visit to Cambridge.
Jochen was such a great scientist and also a very friendly person, and he will be missed dearly.

Ulrich Schwarz, Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University

Herebye, I would like to express my sincerest condolences to family, friends and beloved ones of Jochen Guck. As a clinical hematologist, I cooperated with Jochen in a few projects during his time in Dresden. I have always enjoyed his genuine interest in clinical challenges and his intrinsic cooperative spirit. I have really enjoyed spending time with him at various circumstances.  As stated by Antoine de Saint-Exupery:.....“Those who pass by us, do not go alone, and do not leave us alone; they leave a bit of themselves, and take a little of us.”

Martin Bornhäuser, University Hospital, TU Dresden. 
 

I will miss Jochen as the inspiring mentor and great scientist and person he was, open minded, passionate, with great vision that he was able to communicate so well. I always cherished our conversations about science and life. Only a few weeks ago he told me that it is an art to take life as it comes, accept adversities and embrace good times. My thoughts are with his family in these sad times.

Anna Taubenberger, TU Dresden

I first met Jochen when he was working in Austin, Texas. From our earliest interactions, it was evident that Jochen had a profound commitment to scientific inquiry. I had the privilege of witnessing his remarkable abilities at numerous seminars and international conferences.
His richly illustrated lectures were a testament to his strengths as a scientist—marked by meticulous attention to detail, clarity, and a thorough, methodical approach to complex problems. I was immediately struck by his intellectual creativity and his distinctive perspective on cell mechanics.
What impressed me most was his deep and nuanced understanding of both the theoretical and experimental aspects of cell biology and biophysics. Jochen’s expertise was not only evident in conversation but also reflected in his many  publications and the high regard in which his work was held by the scientific community.
As a key member of the biophysics research team at the Max Planck Institute in Erlangen, Jochen made lasting contributions that will continue to influence the field. His presence and insight will be sorely missed.

W. H. Goldmann, PhD; Department of Biophysik FAU Erlangen
 

Der Tod von Prof. Jochen Guck stimmt uns sehr traurig und klingt lange nach. 
Wir durften ihn als beeindruckenden Menschen und Wissenschaftler im Rahmen der Realisierung des Neubaus MPZPM kennenlernen.
Vielen Dank für die besonnene, unterstützende und zugewandte Begleitung!
Seiner Familie und seinen Freunden drücken wir unsere herzliche Anteilnahme aus. Er fehlt bestimmt sehr.

Tanja Ulrich und Kristin Münch, Abteilung Forschungsbau und Infrastruktur
 

Der Verlust von Jochen erfüllt uns mit tiefer Trauer. In den Jahren der Zusammenarbeit haben wir ihn als beeindruckende Persönlichkeit erlebt – als Menschen mit außergewöhnlicher Stärke, Weitsicht und Herzlichkeit. Trotz der schweren Herausforderungen, die das Leben ihm auferlegt hatte, begegnete er allem mit bemerkenswerter Ruhe, Mut und einem feinen Sinn für Humor.
Sein Engagement für das Institut, seine Menschlichkeit und sein Vertrauen in die Menschen um ihn herum haben uns alle geprägt. Wir werden ihn als inspirierenden Direktor und als warmherzigen Menschen in Erinnerung behalten.
Unser aufrichtiges Mitgefühl gilt seiner Familie, seinen Freunden und allen, die ihm nahe standen.

Die IT-Abteilung des MPL/MPZPM: Alexander, Benjamin, Dennis, Matthias, Michaela,  Nisarg, Raül, Thomas, Timothy und Yasin
 

I had the privilege of meeting Jochen on several occasions before joining MPZPM. I still remember one of our first vibrant discussions, nearly twenty years ago, about whether cancer cells are stiffer or softer.
After joining the Institute in Erlangen, I had the opportunity to get to know him better. I was continually impressed by his scientific vision, generosity, and genuine kindness. Jochen was one of the main reasons I chose to join the Institute, and I remain grateful for the inspiration and warmth he brought to our community.
Although our time working together was far too short, I deeply valued our scientific exchanges and the beginnings of a friendship that I am sure would have grown even stronger. I will profoundly miss him as a colleague and as a person.

Benoit Ladoux

Jochen I cant believe you have gone so soon.  You taught me so much: from your asking me robust scientific questions that helped me hone rigorous hypotheses, introducing me to a world of cell mechanics to ask fundamental questions in my field of infection and inflammation, helping me to focus on solving important medical challenges to teaching me how to pronounce Spätburgunder correctly (I can hear you saying this in my head now).   Thank you for everything: I will miss your scientific rigour and inspirational strength, but most of all your sense of fun, your generosity and your kindness.

Clare Bryant
Professor of Innate Immunity, The University of Cambridge, UK

Mit großer Bestürzung und Trauer, habe ich vom plötzlichen Tod von Herrn Prof. Jochen Guck erfahren. Als ehemaliger Mitarbeiter des MPL habe ich Herrn Prof. Guck als herzlichen Menschen und inspirierenden Wissenschaftler kennengelernt.
Ich bin froh ihn kennengelernt haben zu dürfen und bin in Gedanken in dieser schweren Zeit bei seiner Familie, Freunden und allen Menschen, die ihm nahestanden.

René Huber -ehemaliger Mitarbeiter am MPL

Thank you Jochen, for inspiring me to pursue a career in biophysics, and for your invaluable help when I first set up my own lab in Sweden. Forever grateful to have met you and worked with you.

Daniel Sundås Midtvedt 
Department of Physics, University of Gothenburg 

 

Our community has lost a brilliant researcher, and—even more painfully—an outstanding communicator, an uncompromising advocate for science, an inspiring role model and mentor, and, of course, a dear friend.
Everyone at HCNB in Cologne who had the privilege of meeting Jochen will remember him for his special gift to inspire and encourage people to be at their best, often by doing no more than asking a few humble questions. His energy, clarity and optimism had a lasting influence on me—and I am sure on many of us—and, along with many fond memories, these qualities will live on as examples of how great science is done.
My sincere condolences go to everyone at MPL and especially to Jochen’s family and friends. I wish them strength during this difficult time.

Malte Gather 
Humboldt Centre for Nano- and Biophotonics, University of Cologne

 

In 2021 I had the great joy to talk to Jochen Guck about his research for some hours, because I was asked to write a story about him for the Max Planck Forschung / Max Planck Research magazine. Or short but intense cooperation resulted in this story:
www.mpg.de/16729931/W006_Physik-Astronomie_072-077.pdf (German)
www.mpg.de/17040251/W006_Physics_Astronomy_072-077.pdf (English)
I was deeply impressed by his tenacity and his desire to provide with his research new early diagnosis methods to detect cancer and other dangerous illnesses as early as possible with routine blood tests. As a former community service worker who cared for a wheelchair user, I also took the opportunity to talk to him briefly about his experience as a wheelchair user. I can only say that this collaboration allowed me to meet an extraordinary, impressive personality in every respect. I am all the more shocked by his untimely death, which is a great loss. I would like to express my condolences above all to his family and his closest colleagues, who are particularly hard hit by this loss.

With kind regards,

Roland Wengenmayr
Science Journalist
Editor of "Physik in unserer Zeit"

 

Mit großem Bedauern haben wir vom Tod von Professor Jochen Guck erfahren. Sein Verlust hinterlässt eine große Lücke in der wissenschaftlichen Gemeinschaft und bei all jenen, die das Privileg hatten, mit ihm zusammenzuarbeiten.
Professor Guck war nicht nur ein herausragender Wissenschaftler, sondern auch ein inspirierender Mensch. 
Unser Mitgefühl gilt seiner Familie, seinen Kollegen und Kolleginnen und allen die ihm nahestanden.

Dr. Claudia Gerhartz
Zeiss Mikroskopie

 

It is a sad, sad news that Jochen Guck is gone. It was a pleasure and an honour to work with him. I learned a great deal from him – both professionally and personally. My thoughts are with his family.
Yours sincerely,

Lothar Kuhn
Director Communication
Stiftung Mercator GmbH 

 

I am shocked and deeply saddened to hear about Professor Jochen Guck's passing, and I would like to offer my sincerest condolences to his family and loved ones.
It was an honor and a privilege to work for him and his division. He was an extraordinary human, and I will always remember his kindness and positivity.

Ralf Stadelmann (former co-worker at MPL)

 

Lieber Jochen, 
es waren immer nette Gespräche mit dir . 
Ob in Leipzig, Cambridge oder mit Kristian in Erlangen haben wir so manches Bier zusammen getrunken und gelacht. 
Ruhe in Frieden. 
Deiner Familie, deinen Freunden und deinen Kollegen viel Kraft für die nächste Zeit.

Dr. Mark Sellmann
Bischberg 

 

Jochen's passion for serving the public interest was evident throughout our interactions at MPL and it is a testament to him that he leaves behind a diverse cohort of young people whose own positive contributions he has both inspired and facilitated.
He provided a great example of how to be elite without being elitist and, as a colleague several ranks his junior, it is the respect with which he consistently handled those around him that I will remember him for.
I wish his family well, they have every right to be proud.

Peter Hull, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light

Jochen started his fantastic division at our institute in the same year as I started my junior research group and he joked that we are both beginners (which he was clearly not of course!). His human and kind way of interaction and work impressed me all the time, his humor sharp, his questions to the point - on every kind of subject. I will miss him as a kind, fair and fun person who made every serious meeting easier to bear. His way too early passing is deeply saddening. My condolences go to his family, friends and all his close co-workers.

Birgit Stiller (Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, FAU, Leibniz University Hannover)
 

It is with great sadness that I learned of Jochen Guck’s passing. Jochen and I joined the Max Planck Society in the same year, and over the years we would occasionally exchange notes on the art of being directors, especially during the challenging days of the COVID pandemic, when we both served as managing directors of our respective institutes. Most importantly, Jochen inspired me to look at the world from a different perspective and to find strength in the face of difficulty. 
I remember once, at Harnack Haus, he showed me the circuitous and inconvenient route he had to take to get from the seminar hall to the ground floor for lunch. We passed through backrooms and squeezed into a tiny elevator. When I asked why he went through all this trouble to be there when he could join the meeting online, he replied that it was important for him to show up — so that others would remember and try to do better. That same spirit was why he was taking the train home later that day. Although Jochen is no longer with us, his courage and quiet determination will continue to inspire all who knew him.

Joyce Poon,
University of Toronto and Lightmatter (former Director at the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics)
 

Jochen was not only a very dear friend; he was also one of the people who taught me what it means to be a good scientist. Although we grew up in a rural area of Germany, only separated by 15 km, I first met him in Austin, Texas. I started my career in experimental science in the lab of Josef Käs, and Jochen was one of the senior PhD students. Jochen showed me how to do cell culture, how to do microscopy, how to set up optical trapping—basically everything that later became the workhorses of my research. I owe him so much, I can’t even describe it. He also guided me when I was writing my first paper, and it was so great to work with him, because he managed to be very frank and make his point while staying kind. In the following years we built a deep friendship, and I will forever remember all the great times we had: discussing science, life, politics, and where to go for the next meal and beer. Jochen was among my top partners in all of these discussions. 
I will keep our fun times—but also the hard times—in my heart forever, and in every scientific project I undertake, there is a bit of Jochen. 
He is missed not only by me but also by my whole family, who loved him as much as I did. 

Timo Betz (Georg-August-Universität Göttingen) with Amaya, Noah, and Emil
 

Dear colleagues, 
I am very sorry to hear about Jochen's Guck passing. His dedication to physics and microscopy was truly inspiring. He made substantial contribution to these fields by bringing optical stretcher to this world. We also shared passion for quantitative phase imaging which lead to our joint publication: McCall, P.M., Kim, K., Shevchenko, A. et al. A label-free method for measuring the composition of multicomponent biomolecular condensates. Nat. Chem. (2025). doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-01928-3. His contribution to the world of science will never be forgotten. 
Thank YOU Jochen! 

Dr. Jan Peychl 
Light Microscopy Facility Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Dresden, Germany

It is so sad to hear about the passing of  Jochen. He was such a great collaborator,  colleague,  and inspirator, who was a pleasure to work with. My sincerest condolences to his family, friends, and beloved ones. He left much too early and will be missed massively.

Marius Ader, CRTD/TU Dresden

Jochen had a special talent for encouraging early career researchers to pursue their vision. In scientific conversations, he often asked questions that required deep reflection and helped you clarify your own thinking. Many times I felt inspired by his ability to make connections between seemingly distant disciplines, from cell mechanics to bioelectronics.
I had the honor of interacting with him in Cambridge and then in Dresden, where he supported me in getting my first independent research projects underway. He will be greatly missed.

Ivan Minev
Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research Dresden and TUD  

It was sad to receive the news that we lost a friend and collaborator, Professor Jochen Guck.  On behalf of the School of Artificial Intelligence Science and Technology at University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST), we would like to express our deepest condolences on this sad moment. 

Min Gu 
School of Artificial Intelligence Science and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology 

Dear MPL colleagues,
I am deeply grateful for Jochen‘s guidance and generosity as a collaborating mentor during my PhD. Following his vision in fiber-optic manipulation shaped my path, our collaborations led to joint publication last year on Nature Communications (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44280-1). My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

With deepest sympathy,

Jiawei Sun 
Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences 
(Ph.D. from TU Dresden 2023) 

With great shock and sadness, I learned of the sudden death of my friend. With Jochen, I had inspiring conversations, often over a cup of coffee he had made, we 'jogged' through the streets of San Francisco, and we carried out exciting experiments that were published, for example, in "Physik in unserer Zeit", Nature Photonics, Nature Communications, and LSA. I am glad to have had the chance to know him and to hear his visionary talks e.g. at the DGaO-The German Branch of European Optical Society. In my thoughts during this difficult time, I am with all the people who were close to him, especially his family.

In friendship
Juergen Czarske, BIOLAS/MST, TU Dresden

Jochen brought me to Erlangen to collaborate and supported me for the MPI-Humboldt medal, I hadn't met him before this and it was such a rich intellectual experience to visit Erlangen and talk science with him and his colleagues there. He was clearly struggling with his health issues, but showed up when he could to ask intriguing questions. What a fantastic scientific legacy he leaves behind, on top of being clearly a wonderful humble person and role model in the scientific community. Much love to his family at such a tragic time of loss.

Laura Waller, 
University of California, Berkeley

It is with deep sadness that I just got informed that Jochen had passed away. We initiated collaborative works some years ago and had the opportunity to share results though Zoom meetings. The last time he wrote to me after sending him a paper to review where he is coauthor, he mentioned his severe illness.  Our work on optical cell microelastography was inspired by his input and the sharing of polymer microbeads for calibration purpose enhanced the quality of our scientific contributions on cell viscoelasticity imaging.

My graduate students who worked with him and colleagues are jointing me in this tribute and condolence to the family.

Guy Cloutier, 
Director of the Laboratory of Biorheology and Medical Ultrasonics
University of Montreal Hospital Research Center

Tribute to Prof Jochen Guck (1973 - 2025)

Dear Jochen,
You embodied science without borders;
people from every part of the globe were members of the Guck Lab.
You embodied physics without borders;
scientists from other disciplines collaborated with the Guck Lab.
You embodied optics without borders;
over 145 papers connecting imaging and medicine from the Guck Lab.
You embodied mechanics without borders;
six patents involving cell mechanics and diagnostics from the Guck Lab.
You embodied academics without borders;
celebrating birthdays and socializing, were part of life in the Guck Lab.
You embodied excellence without borders;
as in the Leipzig, Cambridge, Dresden, Erlangen versions of the Guck Lab
You embodied charity without borders;
in a free hospital, JUHRI, in Africa, there is a Prof. Jochen Guck Diagnostic Lab.
You embodied humanity without borders;
for you were first of all a good human being, rest in peace, from the Guck Lab.
 

Dr Andrew E. Ekpenyong, Associate Professor of Physics,
Creighton University, Nebraska, USA.
(Jochen Guck’s former PhD and Post-doctoral student)

 

Eight days before your far too early passing, you reached out to us. Not because of your illness, but to offer help with a report we are working on.
Even then, your dedication and passion shone through. It was who you were: committed, curious, and full of purpose.
We believe that everything written here in this book, and all that will still be written, bears true witness to you. The flood of deeply moving messages we read here and receive privately shows just how many hearts and minds you have touched around the world.
Your impact will live on - in your work, your ideas, and in all of us who were fortunate enough to know you.
And while we are deeply missing your presence, your kindness, your clarity, your energy, your wisdom, and your friendship, you will stay alive forever in our hearts.

Rivercyte team 
(Shada Hofemeier Abu Hattum, Markéta Icha Kubánková, Felix Dirla, Salvatore Girardo, Martin Kräter, Paul Müller, Rinat Tyumenev)

Jochen's passing is a great loss to the scientific community, his research group, and his family. My thoughts are with all those who were close to him.
May his vision and enthusiasm live on in those he mentored and inspired.

Tobias Utikal (Scientific Staff Representative at MPL)

I met Jochen Guck on a number of occasions when our time overlapped in Dresden and it was nice memory to present at the same event as him at Institut Curie, Paris. I found him to be innovative and thoughtful, and was excited by the direction of his research and ideas for the future. I am very sad to hear of his passing and wish the best for his family, legacy and lab members going forward. It seems that he is gone way too soon. Let us always remember the great and inspirational characteristics of Jochen Guck.

Martin P. Stewart

Jochen would probably have been the first to comfort us in our grief, and it is precisely this memory of his kindness and humanity that will hopefully comfort others who are grieving as I am. I am so grateful to Jochen for the short journey we took together and for the appreciation he always showed me. I will always think of him when I listen to Machine Head's music. Not only Jochen's scientific achievements, but above all his legacy as a human being will never be forgotten, and his fighting spirit and sense of humor will hopefully serve as an example to others.
(Heike Neumann, Admin. Assistant to Jochen Guck at TU Dresden 2012-2018)

Heike Neumann M.A.
Technische Universität Dresden
Dezernat Personal 

With great sadness, we learned of the premature passing of our colleague, mentor, and inspiration, Jochen Guck. We are deeply grateful to have known you and will always remember your vision, insight, and thoughtful guidance.

Elisabeth Fischer-Friedrich, Benjamin Friedrich, Physics of Life, TU Dresden

Mit großer Traurigkeit haben wir vom Tod unseres ehemaligen Mitschülers Prof. Dr. Jochen Guck erfahren.
Jochen war eine außergewöhnliche Persönlichkeit – klug, herzlich, humorvoll und immer mitten im Leben. Er hat unsere gemeinsame Oberstufenzeit mit seiner besonderen Art bereichert, war für jeden Spaß zu haben und wird uns allen in bester Erinnerung bleiben.
Beim letzten Abitreffen haben wir ihn sehr vermisst und fest gehofft, dass es beim nächsten Mal klappt. Nun bleibt die Erinnerung an einen wunderbaren Menschen, der Spuren in unseren Herzen hinterlässt.
Wir wünschen seiner Familie von Herzen viel Kraft und Trost in dieser schweren Zeit.

In liebevoller Erinnerung

Für unseren Abiturjahrgang 1993,
Christa
Bad Königshofen
 

Dear Jochen,

when I first contacted you in 2018 to work on a joint project, I was initially extremely honored by your interest in the topic, and then so pleasantly surprised by the kindness, attention, and rigor you brought to the writing of the project—which, in the end, would never be funded by the ERC.
But still, the project had taken off, and the past six years spent carrying it out with you and your team have taught and brought me so much.
Being around you—and sharing both your scientific vision and more personal aspects of your life—has helped me grow as a person, sometimes identifying with you (in certain quite similar aspects of our paths), and most of the time drawing inspiration from you.
Over the years, I have been deeply nourished by your calm, your vision, and your kindness, trying to reflect these qualities back into our joint project. Our project will be published in a few days… which saddens me even more… but I am relieved that you knew it had reached completion, as it was “accepted in principle.”
We still had so many projects to accomplish together… I hope I can bring some of them to completion, in your memory.
I will keep forever the memory of our ping-pong game in Les Houches, where mixing scientific brainstorming with a few exchanged shots between two presentations had an exquisite flavor.

I will miss you—you are already missed.

Jacky GOETZ, leader of the Tumor Biomechanics Lab, Strasbourg, France

It was both an honor and a privilege to know and interact with Jochen over the last years. From the moment we first met, he remained a constant and inspiring presence for me. I deeply admired his genuine curiosity and inventiveness, his integrity, and his remarkable talent for engaging in sharp, insightful dialogue. His advice was always thoughtful, and I was always surprised about his energy and generosity.
I was lucky to share beautiful memories with him. From a late-night excursion to a bar in Los Angeles, to a long dinner in Marseille talking about science, politics, family, and books. Discussing with him was always a pleasure, as he was able to transmit his energy, humour and enthusiasm. I clearly remember when he showed me the first data on deformability cytometry, which blew my mind; and I still enjoy thinking of a discussion on whether myosin activity would soften or stiffen suspended cells.
I will remember Jochen as someone who embraced and enjoyed every aspect of life. A life that was too short but surely rich and full. We have lost a giant, and I will really miss him.

My deepest condolences to the family and friends.

Felix Rico
Aix Marseille Univ, Inserm, DyNaMo, France


 Mit großer Betroffenheit haben wir vom Tod unseres geschätzten Kollegen Professor Dr. Jochen Guck, Direktor am Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, erfahren. Sein viel zu früher Tod hinterlässt eine schmerzliche Lücke – nicht nur in der wissenschaftlichen Gemeinschaft, sondern auch in der engen Kooperation zwischen dem Max-Planck-Institut für Physik und der Medizinischen Fakultät.
Professor Guck war ein herausragender Wissenschaftler, dessen Forschung an der Schnittstelle von Physik und Medizin grundlegende Einsichten in die physikalischen Prinzipien zellulärer Prozesse ermöglichte. Mit der von ihm aufgebauten Abteilung „Physik der Zelle“ hat er ein innovatives Forschungsfeld geprägt, das die Grenzen zwischen den Disziplinen neu definierte.
Durch seine Ideen, seine Offenheit und seine Begeisterung für interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit hat Professor Buck entscheidend dazu beigetragen, die Brücke zwischen Physik und Medizin zu stärken und gemeinsame Forschungsvisionen Wirklichkeit werden zu lassen.

Die Medizinische Fakultät verliert mit ihm einen geschätzten Partner, inspirierenden Kollegen und leidenschaftlichen Mitstreiter für die Wissenschaft. Unser tiefes Mitgefühl gilt seiner Familie und seinen Kolleginnen und Kollegen am Max-Planck-Institut.

Im Namen der Medizinischen Fakultät
Prof. Dr. Dr. Esther Troost
Dekanin der Medizinischen Fakultät

 

Jochen, you might have disappeared from earthly existence - all of a sudden and painfully early - but while I am writing these lines, you are still (t)here; truly present and at my side. Just like it felt when you were yet among the living - an attentive listener, a supportive advisor, a horizon-expanding companion, a caring friend, a striking character, an inspiriting personality.
With you on board, setting sail was a breeze - navigating the unknown became an exciting challenge, an enjoyable adventure - exploring the boundaries of the charted world. What a great honor it has been to translate your outstanding research into biomedical applications and to fast forward discoveries around the world together!
It was an extraordinary gift of fate that we met and were able to travel a good part of our journey together. So will it continue to be. 
Through your dedication, you have left such a significant legacy with obvious, meaningful traces in us. You will keep accompanying us: encouraging, cheering, inspiring, consoling. We will seek for insight and to follow your example of exemplary motivation - remaining motivated by you.

And as you roam through space and time and our minds and we carry you around in our hearts, we will keep you vividly alive…

Felix Dirla, Jens Langejürgen, Stefan Scheuermann (Fast Forward Discoveries)
 

Prof. Dr. Jochen Guck was far more than a mentor to me — he was both a supervisor and a fatherly figure who profoundly shaped my life. From him, I learned how to think deeply, pursue research with integrity, and remain curious through every challenge. I feel truly blessed that, just weeks before his passing, his strongest letter of recommendation helped me achieve my full professorship.
When I last saw him, I was deeply saddened by his fragile health, yet he remained calm and composed, saying, “Everyone has to leave one day, and I wish my research can contribute to the cure of this particular cancer for those who come after me.” His strength and selflessness, even in the face of suffering, left an indelible mark on my heart.
The way he balanced brilliance in science with kindness, humility, and joy in life remains my lifelong aspiration. He taught me what it truly means to lead with both intellect and heart. His loss leaves a void that words cannot fill, but his wisdom and spirit will continue to guide me for the rest of my life.

May his soul rest in eternal peace.

With heartfelt gratitude and sorrow,
Dr. Ahmad Ahsan Nawaz