Public Health at the LMU 200 years ceremony
At the event on 6 February 2026, public health and the Pettenkofer School of Public Health were twice in focus
18.02.2026
The panel discussion at the LMU 200th anniversary (third from right: Dr Ani Movsisyan) / Foto: Jan Greune / LMU
The event marking the 200th anniversary of the LMU in Munich also served as the inauguration ceremony for the new LMU president, Prof. Matthias Tschöp. In his speech, Tschöp praised Max von Pettenkofer as a role model who had demonstrated what research can achieve. Max von Pettenkofer, founder of the world's first hygiene institute and namesake of the Pettenkofer School of Public Health, contributed to the construction of a sewer system in Munich and is considered one of the founders of public health.
Public health was also present in the subsequent high-profile panel discussion on the role of universities today: Dr. Ani Movsisyan, senior scientist at the Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research at LMU Munich and currently a medical student, took part in the discussion and spoke about the importance of non-linear career paths in science. “Universities have a responsibility not only to generate knowledge, but to translate it into societal impact“, said Movsisyan. „This often requires openness to inter- and transdisciplinary thinking and non-linear career paths that bridge research, practice, and policy.”