Verbund Katholischer Kliniken

Director of the Center for Hernia and Reflux Surgery

Named one of Germany’s leading hernia and reflux surgeons (FOCUS & Stern, 2025)

Honorary Member, European College of Abdominal Wall Surgery

Specialization

• Coloproctology

• Abdominal wall and gastrointestinal hernia surgery

Professional Memberships

• German Society of Surgeons

• German Society for General and Visceral Surgery

• German Society of Coloproctology

• Association of Surgeons of North Rhine-Westphalia

• Working Group for Perioperative Medicine

• Working Group for Minimally Invasive Surgery

• Working Group for Coloproctology

• Working Group for Surgical Oncology

• Registered Professional Association of German Surgeons

• European Association for Transluminal Surgery

• Society for Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Surgery

Main Areas of Surgical Expertise

• Colon cancer – laparoscopic right and left hemicolectomy 

• Rectal cancer – total mesorectal excision (TME) 

• Liver metastases – laparoscopic segmental liver resections 

• Gastric cancer – total or subtotal laparoscopic gastrectomy 

• Bariatric surgery – laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass 

• Minimally invasive hernia repair (TAPP, TEP techniques) 

• Revision surgery for recurrent or residual tumors 

• Laparoscopic port implantation and diagnostic staging 

• Pancreatic tumors – laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy 

• Peritoneal carcinomatosis – cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC (Hyperthermic 

  Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy) 

Head of the Department of General, Visceral, Thoracic, and Endocrine Surgery

Recognized as one of Germany’s Top Doctors in Endocrine Surgery (2021–2025) by FOCUS magazine

Areas of Expertise:

• Oncologic and minimally invasive thoracic surgery

• Cancer surgery of the upper gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, hepatobiliary surgery)

• Bariatric surgery
• Pelvic floor surgery
• Proctology

Research Projects:

• The role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in esophageal cancer

• Mechanisms of esophageal cancer development

• Types and treatment of esophageal perforations

• Classification, pathogenesis, and therapy of primary pneumothorax

Professional Memberships:

• German Society of Surgeons
• Association of German Surgeons

• German Society for General and Visceral Surgery

Key Surgical Indications

• Nodular goiter and differentiated carcinoma – conventional surgical resection

• Primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism – minimally invasive parathyroidectomy

• Adrenal tumors (e.g. pheochromocytoma, Conn’s adenoma) 

• Chest wall deformities (e.g. pectus excavatum, pectus carinatum – surgical correction) 

• Central lung tumors (lobectomy, segmentectomy via open thoracic surgery) 

• Pleural diseases (recurrent pneumothorax, chronic pleural effusions – thoracoscopic or 

  open procedures) 

• Mediastinal masses (e.g. thymomas – resection via sternotomy or VATS) 

• Refractory GERD – open fundoplication (especially in patients with complex surgical 

  history) 

• Gallbladder disease with anatomical or surgical contraindications to laparoscopy 

• Complex incisional or ventral hernias requiring open component separation 

Recognized as one of Germany’s top radiation oncologists (FOCUS Magazine)

• Radiation therapy for malignant and benign tumors
• Radiation oncology

• Chairman, German Society for Radiation Oncology
• Member, ESTRO (European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology)
• Member, ASTRO (American Society for Radiation Oncology)
• Member, German Cancer Society
• Member, Medical Chamber of North Rhine – Radiation Safety Committee

• AGA HBO Award (1999)
• Hans Langendorf Award (2001), for research on radiosensitization in glioblastoma
• Theragnostik Poster Prize (2001), for study on breast cancer: chemotherapy vs. chemoradiotherapy
• Dr. Mildred Scheel Foundation Grants for research on tumor oxygenation and glioma radiosensitivity (Amsterdam, 1996–2001)
• Additional research funding from the Düsseldorf University Breast Center
• Project support from Düsseldorf Children’s Oncology Unit (hyperbaric oxygenation)

• Prostate cancer (primary and salvage radiotherapy)
• Breast cancer (adjuvant, boost, hypofractionated protocols)
• Head and neck tumors (nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal carcinomas)
• Lung cancer (NSCLC and SCLC)
• Cervical and endometrial cancers
• Brain tumors (glioblastoma, meningioma)
• Bone and soft tissue metastases (palliative radiotherapy)
• Rectal cancer (neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy)
• Anal and esophageal cancers
• Symptom control and quality-of-life-focused therapies in metastatic disease

Director, West German Center for Health and Diabetes Care

Recognized by FOCUS Magazine as one of Germany’s top specialists in diabetology and diabetic polyneuropathy (2025)

• Cardiovascular disease prevention and diagnostics

• Modern diabetes care, including lifestyle-based therapy

• Diabetic neuropathy and foot complications

• Metabolic health and nutritional medicine

• FOCUS Top Diabetologist

• Bennigsen Award (NRW)

• Theodor Frerichs Prize – German Society of Internal Medicine

• Bloomfield Award – American Academy of CME

• Jugling Award – Anna Wunderlich Foundation

• Friedrich Pfeiffer Award – German Diabetes Association

• Clinical Research Award – Sana Hospital Group

• Advisory Board – German Stroke Aid Foundation

• German Society of Internal Medicine

• German Diabetes Association

• European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD)

• American Diabetes Association (ADA)

• Clinical Trials & Guidelines Committees – German Diabetes Association

• Chairman – Lifestyle Change Foundation

• Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes

• Diabetic neuropathy and foot syndrome

• Prediabetes and metabolic syndrome

• Obesity and glucose metabolism disorders

• Cardiometabolic risk in diabetes

• Hypertension and dyslipidemia

• Hormonal metabolic imbalances

• Chronic fatigue related to glucose regulation

• Secondary forms of diabetes

• Full metabolic and diabetes risk assessment

• Cardiovascular screening (ECG, stress test, vascular diagnostics)

• Neuropathy check-ups (monofilament, tuning fork, EMG)

• Blood tests: HbA1c, fasting glucose, lipid panel, inflammation markers

• Personalized nutrition and lifestyle planning

• Early detection of diabetic complications (eye, kidney, vessels)

• Coaching for sustainable lifestyle changes and weight management

Head of the Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine

• Gastroenterology – treatment of digestive system disorders, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

• Bile duct and pancreatic diseases – gallstones, pancreatitis, cysts, obstructions

• Hepatology – management of hepatitis, fatty liver, cirrhosis, liver tumors

• Endoscopy – gastroscopy, colonoscopy, polypectomy, advanced imaging

• Gastrointestinal infections, incl. Clostridium difficile

• Functional disorders – IBS, GERD, constipation

• Nutritional medicine – dietary counseling for metabolic and GI conditions

• Internal medicine – integrated care for chronic systemic diseases

• Improved diagnostics and therapies for GI infections and bowel diseases

• Early detection strategies for GI cancers with focus on prevention

• Liver and pancreas research, incl. nutrition, microbiota, inflammation

• German Society for Digestive and Metabolic Diseases

• German Society for Endoscopy and Imaging Techniques

• Max Planck Society – Gastroenterology Section

• European Society of Gastroenterology

• International Society for Internal Medicine

• German Cancer Society

• Inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis)

• Liver cirrhosis (alcoholic, viral, metabolic, autoimmune)

• Chronic hepatitis B and C

• NAFLD and NASH

• Acute and chronic pancreatitis

• IBS and functional bowel disorders

• Esophageal varices, portal hypertension

• Peptic ulcers incl. H. pylori

• Gallstones, cholecystitis, bile duct issues

• GERD and Barrett’s esophagus

• Gastrointestinal bleeding

• Colorectal polyps, early GI cancers

• C. difficile and other intestinal infections

• Chronic abdominal pain, bloating, digestive symptoms

• Colon cancer screening (colonoscopy, stool tests)

• Liver diagnostics (ultrasound, elastography, labs)

• Pancreas and gallbladder ultrasound

• General GI check-ups

Named one of Germany’s top oncologists for leukemia and lymphoma and lung cancer treatment

Speciaization

•  Medical oncology
•  Hematology

Research Focus

•  Innovative therapies for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
•  Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
•  Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)
•  Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
•  Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)
•  Colorectal cancer
•  Breast cancer

Professional Memberships

•  German Society of Hematology and Oncology (DGHO)
•  American Society of Hematology (ASH)
•  Scientific Advisory Board – Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation, Rockville, MD, USA

Scientific Advisor to

AMGEN, Novartis, Celgene, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson

Publications

•  Over 100 scientific articles in books and peer-reviewed journals
•  Publications in The New England Journal of Medicine, Blood, and Journal of Clinical Oncology
•  Member of the editorial board (2013–2016) of Journal of Clinical Oncology – the official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)

Top Diagnoses Treated

•  Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
•  Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
•  Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)
•  Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
•  Hodgkin’s lymphoma
•  Multiple myeloma
•  Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)
•  Aplastic anemia
•  Lung cancer (NSCLC and SCLC)
•  Colorectal cancer
•  Breast cancer
•  Pancreatic cancer
•  Prostate cancer (advanced/metastatic)