Martin Kessler obtained his degree in veterinary medicine in 1991 after studying at the veterinary school in Munich (Germany) and The Ohio State University (Columbus Ohio, USA). From 1991 – 1993 he went on with a Small Animal Internship with an emphasis on oncology at The Ohio State University. In 1993 he won the “Robert S. Brodey award for outstanding basic research” of the American Veterinary Cancer Society for his doctoral thesis. From 1993-1997 Martin Kessler became a postdoctorate fellow at the Dept. of Veterinary Surgery at the University in Munich. In 1997 he left academia and co-founded Hofheim Veterinary Hospital near Frankfurt, Germany, which today is the largest veterinary clinic in the country with currently more than 100 vets, including 11 oncologists. At his hospital he is specialized in medical and surgical oncology. Martin Kessler is a Diplomate ECVIM-CA (Oncology) and holds the German specialisation “Fachtierarzt für Kleintiere“.
Martin Kessler is the editor of the German textbook „Kleintieronkologie” [Small animal oncology], which is the standard veterinary oncology textbook in Germany. He published numerous oncology related articles in journals and textbooks and frequently lectures at national and international conferences and seminars. From 2002 – 2008 Martin served as Vice-president of the European Society of Veterinary Oncology (ESVONC)., he is a member of the Veterinary Oncology Advisory Board (VOAB) for Boehringer Ingelheim and a member of the oncology specialist group of the German Veterinary Society (DVG). He retired from his position in Hofheim Veterinary hospital in September 2024 and afterwards accepted a position as lecturer at the Veterinary School at the University of Berlin (Germany). In addition, he is working as a veterinary consultant. In 2025, for his lifetime achievement and contribution to the German veterinary profession, he was awarded the “Richard Völker Medaille”, the most distinguished award granted by the German Veterinary Society (DVG).
Following his passion for African wildlife, Martin Kessler is much engaged in pro bono charity work in Zimbabwe in Africa working with a veterinary based organisation (aware-germany.de).
