Andreas Strasser is noted for his seminal studies on the control of apoptosis, the cell death program essential for development and homeostasis. By exploiting mouse genetics, he demonstrated that abnormalities in the control of apoptosis can cause autoimmune disease and cancer and render tumor cells refractory to anti-cancer therapy. He established that there are two distinct signalling pathways leading to cell death, one triggered by ligation of cell surface "death receptors" and the other by cytokine deprivation or intra-cellular stress signals. These discoveries have major implications for biological research and suggest novel therapeutic strategies for cancer, autoimmunity and degenerative diseases.