Academic Career
Since 2011 Full Professor (W3), Chair (Lehrstuhl) and Director, Dept. of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism; Head of Clinical Chemistry – Division of Laboratory Research, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg Essen
2008 – 2011 Vice-Director, Clinic for Endocrinology and Nephrology, University Hospital Leipzig; Managing Chief Medical Officer Dept. Internal Medicine, University Hospital Leipzig
2006 – 2008 Senior Consultant (Ltd. Oberarzt) and Head of Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, III. Medical Department, University Hospital Leipzig
2006 Adjunct (Apl.) Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig
2004 Habilitation and Venia Legendi in Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig
2003 – 2006 Consultant (Oberarzt), III. Medical Department, University Hospital Leipzig (Board Certification (Facharzt) Internal Medicine 2003; Board Certifications (Subspezialisierung) Endocrinology 2004; Diabetology DDG 2005; Andrology 2009)
2001 – 2004 Head of DFG Emmy-Noether Research Group “Molecular biology of cold thyroid nodules”, University of Leipzig
2002 Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, U.K.
1998 – 2000 BASF/Studienstiftung Research Fellow, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, U.K.
1996 Doctoral Dissertation in Medicine (M.D., summa cum laude), DFG Clinical Research Unit “Respiratory Insufficiency”, Faculty of Medicine, Justus-Liebig University Giessen
1988 – 1995 Medical School, Justus-Liebig University Giessen; Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; University College London, U.K.
Academic Leadership
Since 5/2025 President, German Society of Internal Medicine (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Innere Medizin, DGIM)
Since 2023 Scientific Board of the German Medical Association (Bundesärztekammer)
2020 -2025 Spokesperson of the DFG Collaborative Research Centre / Transregio 296 “Local Control of Thyroid Hormone Action” (LOCOTACT)
2018 – 2022 Vice-Rector for Research, Career Development and Science Transfer, University of Duisburg- Essen
Since 2022 Member DFG Senate and Grants Committee for Graduate Schools (Senats- und Bewilligungsausschuss für die Graduiertenkollegs)
Since 2019 Member DFG Senate Commission on Key Questions in Clinical Research (Senatskommission für Grundsatzfragen in der Klinischen Forschung)
Since 2018 Spokesperson DFG Clinician Scientist Programme “University Medicine Essen Academy” (UMEA) and co-applicant/Board Member BMBF Advanced Clinician Scientist Programme UMEA2 (since 2022), Faculty of Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen
2012 – 2019 Spokesperson des DFG Priority Programme (Schwerpunktprogramm) SPP1629 “THYROID TRANS ACT”
2017 – 2020 Spokesperson Thyroid Section of the German Endocrine Society (DGE)
Since 2016 Chair, Mildred Scheel Lectureship Committee, German Cancer Aid
2013 – 2022 Chair European Thyroid Association – Thyroid Cancer Group (Spokesperson: 2013-2018; Scientific Advisory Board 2019 – 2022)
2013 – 2017 Committee and commissions of the German Society of Internal Medicine (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Innere Medizin, DGIM)
2014 – 2024 Board Member, Faculty of Medicine (Fakultätsrat, 2016-2018, 2022-2024) and Member of the Structural Committee, University of Duisburg-Essen
Since 2011 Director of the Endocrine Tumour Centre with ENETS Centre of Excellence at the West German Cancer Centre (WTZ) Essen
2008 – 2014 Vice president, German Endocrine Society (DGE)
2008 – 2017 Scientific Advisory Board, Thyroid Section German Endocrine Society (DGE)
2008 – 2011 Mentor, German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes), University of Leipzig, Germany
Jury and Board Activities
Galenus-von-Pergamon Award (since 2012); DGIM Theodor-Frerichs Award (since 2022); Medical Award Ingrid zu Solms Foundation (since 2019); Editorial Board DGIM – Internal Medicine (since 2022); DKV – Scientific Board (since 2013); Scientific Director DGIM-Internisten Update (since 2013) and EndokrinoUpdate (since 2019); DGE Luisenthaler Gespräche (since 2007), DGE Intensivkurs Klinische Endokrinologie (2008 – 2013);
Core group of international and national guidelines on thyroid cancer (ETA, EANM-ATA-SNMI-ETA, DGE/AWMF)
Awards & Honours
Since 2012 > 40 Research awards from scientific societies (ETA, DGE, ATA, BTA, Endocrine Society, DGN) to scientific personnel and M.D. / Ph.D. students of the department
2002 Merck von Basedow Award, German Endocrine Society (DGE); Organon Clinical Thyroidology Award, European Thyroid Association (ETA), Young Investigator Award, German Society of Internal Medicine (DGIM)
2001 – 2004 DFG Emmy Noether Research Group
2000 Reisenberg Young Investigator Award
1999 Postgraduate Prize, University of Wales College of Medicine
1998 – 2000 BASF-Post-Doctoral Grant, German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes)
1998 – 1999 IZKF-Post-Doctoral grant, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig
1997 Rolf-Emmrich Award, Society of Internal Medicine, Saxony
1991 – 1995 Scholarship, German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes)