Czech chemist Pavel Jungwirth buried after suicide

Pavel Jungwirth, a leading Czech physical chemist and professor at Charles University, died by suicide on 23 July 2026 at age 60. He headed a research group at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, was recognised internationally for his work on molecular simulations of ions at water interfaces, and received awards such as the Neuron Lifetime Achievement Prize.

His funeral was held on Friday afternoon in Prague's Smíchov district. Dozens of colleagues, including senior scientists Helena Illnerová and Jan Konvalinka, as well as his partner Veronika Sedláčková and his four children, attended. The ceremony was moderated by Daniel Stach of Czech Television. The gathering reflected Jungwirth’s prominence within the Czech scientific community and the shock caused by his unexpected death.