Peter H. Duesberg, Molecular Biologist, Dies at 89 in California

Peter H. Duesberg, a German-American molecular biologist and professor at the University of California, Berkeley, died on January 13, 2026. His death marks the end of a career that included both scientific achievements and controversial positions.

According to his wife Sigrid Duesberg, he died peacefully at a care facility near his home in Oakland, California, from kidney failure. He had experienced stroke-induced aphasia for five years prior to his death.

Duesberg was known for his work in molecular and cell biology, particularly his role in co-discovering the first known oncogene, v-src, in the Rous sarcoma virus during the early 1970s. This research contributed to advances in cancer biology and earned him recognition in the scientific community.

He joined the University of California, Berkeley’s Virus Laboratory in 1964 after completing a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Frankfurt. Over the course of his career, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1986 and received an Outstanding Investigator Award from the National Institutes of Health in the mid-1980s.

What the numbers show

• Duesberg died at age 89 on January 13, 2026
• He spent five years with stroke-induced aphasia before his death
• He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1986

Later in his career, Duesberg became known for rejecting the consensus view that HIV is the cause of AIDS. He promoted the position that HIV does not cause AIDS, which was not supported by most scientists in the field.

In addition to his views on HIV, Duesberg argued that chromosomal aneuploidy, rather than oncogenes, is solely responsible for the development of cancer. His positions on these topics remained a subject of discussion within scientific circles.

Duesberg is survived by his wife Sigrid, their son Max, three daughters from a previous marriage, and grandchildren. His death is recorded in public records, including the Wikipedia 'Deaths in 2026' page.

His career included both notable scientific contributions and positions that diverged from mainstream scientific opinion. He remained active in research and publication throughout much of his professional life.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.