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On the 30th of March 2023, the RNA field lost one of its pioneers, Walter Keller, Professor Emeritus at the Biozentrum, University of Basel. Walter’s exemplary and rigorous biochemistry work provided crucial tools for studying the entire life cycle of RNA. His dedication to the pursuit of robust evidence was inspiring for many, and helped drive forward several fields of research. Walter Keller graduated from the Medical Academy in Düsseldorf in 1962 as a medical doctor. At the time, it was not at all apparent that a path existed from clinical practice to the peaks of scientific research, yet probing through human pathology and genetics, inspired by serendipitous scientific encounters, Walter created a trail of scientific discoveries that changed the way we think of how cells control gene expression through transcriptional and post-transcriptional events.

The formative years of Walter’s research career were undoubtedly those …