Michael W. Pfaffl

Michael W. Pfaffl
Born	1965 (age 60–61) Germany
Alma mater	Technical University of Munich
Known for	Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR); MIQE guidelines; Extracellular vesicles; Gene expression normalization
Scientific career
Fields	Molecular biology; Physiology
Institutions	Technical University of Munich; TATAA Biocenter AB (Germany)
Website	https://www.professoren.tum.de/en/pfaffl-michael

Michael W. Pfaffl (born 1965) is a German physiologist and molecular biologist whose research focuses on quantitative real-time PCR, molecular diagnostics, and extracellular vesicle biology. He is a professor at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and formerly held senior scientific leadership positions at the German division of TATAA Biocenter AB. ^[1]

Education

Pfaffl began studying Agriculture and Animal Science at the Technical University of Munich in 1986. ^[2] He later specialized in biotechnology and molecular biology, earning his PhD in 1997 with a dissertation on molecular muscle and growth physiology. ^[3]

Career

Academic career

Pfaffl began his academic career at the Technical University of Munich, where he later became Professor of Molecular Physiology in 2010 at the TUM School of Life Sciences in Freising-Weihenstephan. ^[2] His research has focused on gene expression analysis, molecular diagnostics, extracellular vesicles, and the methodological refinement of qPCR techniques. ^[4]

He has been described as "one of the leading scientists in the field of gene quantification, RT-qPCR technology, RNA sequencing, and complex data analysis in mRNA and small-RNA expression profiling". ^[5]

Role at TATAA Biocenter

In 2015, Pfaffl joined the German branch of TATAA Biocenter AB as corporate officer and principal scientist, contributing to strategic planning, scientific innovation, and education in qPCR research and molecular diagnostics. ^[4]

At TATAA, he led the design of qPCR workflows for pharmaceutical and biotech companies and ensured that training and service offerings adhered to the Minimum Information for Publication of Quantitative Real-Time PCR Experiments (MIQE) guidelines. ^[6]

Pfaffl has chaired international conferences including qPCR 2010 in Vienna, qPCR 2011, and qPCR & NGS 2013 in Freising-Weihenstephan. ^[7]

Selected publications

• Pfaffl, M.W. (2001). "A new mathematical model for relative quantification in real-time RT–PCR". Nucleic Acids Research.
• Bustin, S.A. et al. (2009). "The MIQE guidelines: minimum information for publication of qPCR experiments". Clinical Chemistry.
• Pfaffl, M.W. et al. (2002). "Relative expression software tool (REST©)". Nucleic Acids Research.
• Pfaffl, M.W. et al. (2004). "BestKeeper tool for housekeeping gene validation". Biotechnology Letters.
• Fleige, S.; Pfaffl, M.W. (2006). "RNA integrity and qRT-PCR performance". Molecular Aspects of Medicine.

See also

• Mikael Kubista
• Anders Ståhlberg
• Stephen Bustin
• GenEx software
• qPCR
• MIQE guidelines

References

1. "Michael Pfaffl: Positions, Relations and Network". MarketScreener. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
2. "Michael Pfaffl". Technical University of Munich. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
3. valerie.lim (6 January 2025). "Prof. Dr. Michael Pfaffl". TUM Asia. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
4. "Experiences of Michael Pfaffl: Current and past positions". MarketScreener. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
5. "Cover legend: Michael W. Pfaffl; a member of The Editorial Academy of The International Journal of Oncology" (PDF). Archived from the original on 6 June 2024.
6. "TATAA and MultiD Launch GenEx 6". Technology Networks. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
7. "qPCR 2011 Event in Freising-Weihenstephan – eConferences". 16 April 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2025.

External links

• Michael W. Pfaffl at Technical University of Munich
• Google Scholar profile