Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Frank Keppler
Dr. h.c. University of Szeged
Heisenberg Professorship
Institute of Geosciences
Im Neuenheimer Feld 236, Room 202
D-69120 Heidelberg
E-Mail: frank.keppler@geow.uni-heidelberg.de
Phone: +49 (0) 6221 546009
Education and Professional Career
Professional Experience
- 10/2023 – 03/2025: Deputy Managing Director, Institute of Earth Sciences, Heidelberg University
- 10/2021 – 09/2023: Managing Director, Institute of Earth Sciences, Heidelberg University
- Since 01/2019: Professor of Biogeochemistry, Institute of Earth Sciences, Heidelberg University
- 11/2014 – 12/2018: Heisenberg Professor, Institute of Earth Sciences, Heidelberg University
- 01/2014 – 10/2014: Heisenberg Fellowship and Head of the Research Group “Biogeochemistry” at the Institute of Earth Sciences, Heidelberg University and the “ORCAS” Research Group at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz
- 2006 – 2013: EURYI Award, Head of Junior Research Group “ORCAS”, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Division of Atmospheric Chemistry, Mainz
- 2004 – 2006: Research Scientist, Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, Heidelberg, Germany (former research group of Prof. Thomas Röckmann, now at IMAU, The Netherlands)
- 2002 – 2004: Marie Curie Fellow, Environmental Engineering Research Centre (EERC) and Food Science Division, Queen’s University Belfast, UK (research groups of Prof. Robert Kalin, Prof. David Harper / Prof. John Hamilton)
- 04/2002 – 08/2002: Research Scientist, Institute of Environmental Geochemistry, Heidelberg University, Germany (research group of Prof. Heinz-Friedrich Schöler)
- 2000 – 2002: Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre of Excellence, Interdisciplinary Graduate College of Earth Sciences (GRK 273), Heidelberg University, Germany
Academic Education
- 2000: Dr. rer. nat. in Mineralogy / Environmental Geochemistry
- 1997 – 2000: Ph.D. Fellow, Centre of Excellence, Interdisciplinary Graduate College of Earth Sciences (GRK 273), Heidelberg University, Germany. Dissertation under supervision of Prof. Heinz-Friedrich Schöler; topic: Organic Geochemistry: Abiotic formation of volatile halocarbons in soil
- 1995 – 1997: Childcare and work for a geological engineering company
- 1995: Diploma in Geology
- 1994 – 1995: Diploma thesis in Engineering Geology: Conservation of sandstones by adding silicic acid esters
- 1991 – 1994: Study of Geology (minor subjects: Chemistry and Physics), University of Heidelberg, Germany
- 1990 – 1991: Practical training in South-East Asia and Australia
- 1987 – 1990: Study of Geology, University of Heidelberg, Germany
Visiting Scientist
- Max Planck Institute for Aeronomy, Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany, Dr. Reinhard Borchers (2001/2002)
- Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, Heidelberg, Germany, Prof. Thomas Röckmann (2004)
- Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht (IMAU), The Netherlands, Prof. Thomas Röckmann (2006/2007)
Foundation
- Founder and Board Member, Ein Zehntel Stiftung
Awards and Fellowships
- 11/11/2023: Honorary Doctorate (Dr. h.c.), University of Szeged
- 17/10/2021: Best Papers of 2020, RSC Environmental Science Journals
- 04/2018 – 03/2019: Fellow, Marsilius College, Heidelberg University
- 29/06/2018: “Golden Hammer” Teaching Award, Student Council of the Faculty of Geosciences, Heidelberg University
- 11/2014 – 12/2018: Heisenberg Professorship, Heidelberg University
- 01/2014 – 10/2014: Heisenberg Fellowship
- 13/10/2006: European Young Investigator (EURYI) Award
- 05/10/2006: Isotope Award, Dr. Karleugen-Habfast Foundation
- 16/11/2006: Marie Curie Excellence Award
- 12/10/2005: Best Lecture Award, GASIR Annual Meeting, Jena, Germany
- 2002 – 2004: Marie Curie Fellowship, Excellence Grant awarded by the European Commission (EC, Framework V)
Selected publications
- K.J. Jardine, L. Gallo, M. Roth, S. Upadhyaya, T.R. Northen, S.M. Kosina, G. Tcherkez, A. Eudes, T. Domigues, M. Greule, S. Som, F. Keppler (2024). The ‘Photosynthetic C1 pathway’ linking carbon assimilation and growth in plants. Communication Biology, 7, 1469, doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07142-0.
- J. Hädeler, G. Velmurugan, R. Lauer, R. Radhaman, F. Keppler, P. Comba (2023). Natural abiotic iron-oxido-mediated formation of C1 and C2 compounds from environmentally important natural methyl-substituted substrates. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 145, 24590-24602, doi:10.1021/jacs.3c06709.
- L. Ernst, U. Barayeu, J. Hädeler, T.P. Dick, J. Klatt, F. Keppler, J.G. Rebelein (2023). Methane formation driven by light and heat prior to the origin of life. Nature Communications, 14, 4364, doi:10.1038/s41467-023-39917-0.
- F. Keppler, M. Boros, D. Polag (2023). Radical-driven methane formation in humans evidenced by exogenous isotope-labeled DMSO and methionine. Antioxidants, 12, 1381.
- F. Keppler, L. Ernst, D. Polag, J. Zhang, M. Boros (2022). ROS-driven cellular methane formation: potential implications for health sciences. Clinical and Translational Medicine, 12, e905.
- L. Ernst, B. Steinfeld, U. Barayeu, T. Klintzsch, M. Kurth, D. Grimm, T.P. Dick, J.G. Rebelein, I.B. Bischofs, F. Keppler (2022). Methane formation driven by reactive oxygen species across all living organisms. Nature, 603, 482–487, doi:10.1038/s41586-022-04511-9.
- F. Keppler (2021). A surprise from the deep. Science, 374, 821-822.
- F. Keppler, J.D. Barnes, A. Horst, E. Bahlmann, J. Luo, T. Nadalig, M. Greule, S.C. Hartmann, S. Vuilleumier (2020). Chlorine isotope fractionation of the major chloromethane sinks in the environment. Environmental Science & Technology, 54, 1634-1645.
- M. Bižić, T. Klintzsch, D. Ionescu, M. Y. Hindiyeh, M. Günthel, A. M. Muro-Pastor, W. Eckert, T. Urich, F. Keppler, H.-P. Grossart (2020). Aquatic and terrestrial cyanobacteria produce methane. Science Advances, 6, eaax5343.
- K. Lenhart, T. Behrendt, S. Greiner, J. Steinkamp, R. Well, A. Giesemann, F. Keppler (2019). Nitrous oxide effluxes from plants as a potentially important source to the atmosphere. New Phytologist, 221, 1398-1408.
- F. Keppler, E. Bahlmann, M. Greule, H.F. Schöler, J. Wittmer, C. Zetzsch (2018). Mass spectrometric measurement of hydrogen isotope fractionation for the reactions of chloromethane with OH and Cl. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 18, 6625–6635.
- K. Lenhart, B. Weber, W. Elbert, J. Steinkamp, T. Clough, P. Crutzen, U. Pöschl, F. Keppler (2015). Nitrous oxide and methane emissions from cryptogamic covers. Global Change Biology, 21(10), 3889-3900.
- F. Keppler, D.B. Harper, M. Greule, U. Ott, T. Sattler, H.F. Schöler, J.T.G. Hamilton (2014). Chloromethane release from carbonaceous meteorite affords new insight into Mars lander findings. Scientific Reports, 4, 7010.
- F. Althoff, K. Benzing, P. Comba.,C. McRoberts, D.R. Boyd, S. Greiner, F. Keppler (2014). Abiotic methanogenesis from organosulfur compounds under ambient conditions. Nature Communications, 5, 4205.
- F. Keppler, I. Vigano, A. McLeod, U. Ott, M. Früchtl, T. Röckmann (2012). Ultraviolet-radiation-induced methane emissions from meteorites and the Martian atmosphere. Nature, 486, 93-96.
- K. Lenhart, M. Bunge, S. Ratering, T. Neu, I. Schüttman, M. Greule, C. Kammann, S. Schnell, C. Müller, H. Zorn, F. Keppler (2012). Evidence for methane production by saprotrophic fungi. Nature Communications, 3, 1046.
- F. Keppler, M. Boros, C. Frankenberg, J. Lelieveld, A. McLeod, A.M. Pirttilä, T. Röckmann, J.-P. Schnitzler (2009). Methane formation in aerobic environments. Environmental Chemistry, 6, 459-465.
- F. Keppler, D.B. Harper, R.M. Kalin, W. Meier-Augenstein, N. Farmer, S. Davis, H.-L. Schmidt, D.M. Brown, J.T.G Hamilton (2007). D/H ratios of lignin methoxyl groups as a paleoclimate proxy and constraint of the geographical origin of woods. New Phytologist, 176, 600-609.
- F. Keppler, J.T.G. Hamilton, M. Brass, T. Röckmann (2006). Methane emissions from terrestrial plants under aerobic conditions. Nature, 439, 187-191.
- F. Keppler, T. Röckmann, R.M. Moore, D.B. Harper, J.T.G. Hamilton (2005). New insight into the atmospheric chloromethane budget gained using stable carbon isotope ratios. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 5, 2403-2411.
- J.T.G. Hamilton, W.C. McRoberts, F. Keppler, R.M. Kalin, D.B. Harper (2003). Chloride methylation by plant pectin: an efficient environmentally significant process. Science, 301, 206-209.
- F. Keppler, R. Eiden, V.W. Niedan, J. Pracht, H.F. Schöler (2000). Halocarbons as degradation products of organic matter by natural oxidation processes. Nature, 403, 298-301.
Full list of publications
Erscheinungsjahr