The founder of SMYTE – bioenergetics, where biology becomes physics

Abstract This is the story of Milan Höfer’s life and scientific legacy. Born in 1936 in the former Sudetenland and shaped by political upheaval, Höfer overcame early barriers to pursue chemistry at Charles University, Prague (Czechia), where mentorship under Arnošt Kleinzeller redirected him toward biochemistry. His research spanned calcium transport, mitochondrial energetics, proton-coupled sugar uptake, ion channels, and membrane potential measurements across diverse yeast species. After fleeing Czechoslovakia in 1968, Höfer pursued a distinguished career at the University of Bonn, training international scientists, authoring influential texts, and co-founding SMYTE, The Small Meeting on Yeast Transport and Energetics now in its 40th meeting. His work extended into biotechnology, including fungal lignite solubilization and enzyme-based bioprocessing. Through extensive international teaching and collaboration, Höfer contributed significantly to the global scientific community, leaving a lasting impact on membrane transport research and the generations of scientists he mentored.