Academic career

• 05/1983    Doctorate in cardiology from the University of Cologne (Prof. Dr. HH Hilger) "On the influence of oxyfedrine on bradycardiac cardiac arrhythmias in humans"
• 05/1983    License to practice medicine, Cologne Medical Association
• 04/1983    State examination, University of Cologne
• 1977-1983    Medical studies:
  • Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms University Bonn
  • Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
  • University Cologne

Clinical history

• 09/2018    Spokesman for the Heart Center of the University Hospital Cologne
• 2016    Member of the ethics committee at Cologne University Hospital
• 2009 - 2018    Spokesman for the advisory board for animal research at the University of Cologne
• 2009 - 2012    Spokesman for the heart center at Cologne University Hospital
• 2009-2014    Speaker of the Ordinary Convention of Cardiac Surgeons in Germany
• 08/2009    Spokesman for the Experimental Advisory Board of the Center for Experimental Medicine at Cologne University Hospital
• 10/2007    Deputy spokesman for the Heart Center at Cologne University Hospital
• 11/2005    Acquisition of the full professorship in cardiac and thoracic surgery at the University Clinic in Cologne
• 12/2004    Call for successor cardiac and thoracic surgery (Prof. Dr. de Vivie) at the Cologne University Hospital
• 02/2004    Elected for the 2nd term of office to the board of the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery for a further 2 years
• 11/2003    Elected director of the Center for Surgery at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena
• 02/2002    Election to the board of directors of the German Society for Thoracic, Cardiovascular Surgery
• 09/1999    Ordinariate C4 Cardiac Surgery at Friedrich Schiller University of Jena as well as taking over the management of thoracic and vascular surgery, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena
• 11/1998    Appointment as examiner of the Lower Saxony State Medical Association for vascular surgery
• 12/1996 - 1999    Establishment and management of the "Oststadtkrankenhaus" branch of the MHH with the introduction of cardiac surgery, integration of general, thoracic and vascular surgery
• 02/1996    Appointment as associate professor
• 08/1995    Senior Consultant Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School
• 02/1992    Habilitation-Hanover "Animal experiments on organ protection in the lungs and heart-lung transplantation"
• 08/1991    Recognition as a doctor for vascular surgery (Lower Saxony State Medical Association)
• 03/1991    Recognition as a doctor for thoracic and cardiovascular surgery (Lower Saxony State Medical Association)
• 09/1990    Senior physician at the Clinic for Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School
• 10/1989    Recognition as a doctor for surgery (Lower Saxony State Medical Association)
• 11/1986 - 04/1987    Harefield Hospital National Heart Hospital, Middlesex / London, Great Britain (Prof. Sir M. Yacoub, FRCS)
• 1983-1989    
  • Clinic for Thoracic, Cardiovascular and Vascular Surgery, Hannover: Center for Surgery (Prof. Dr. HG Borst)
  • Clinic for Trauma Surgery (Prof. Dr. H. Tscherne)
  • Clinic for Abdominal and Transplant Surgery (Prof. Dr. R. Pichlmayr)
• 07/1983    Scientific assistant, Center for Surgery, Hannover Medical School

Further training and additional qualifications

• 04/2015    Re-certificate transplantation by the DGTHG by 2020
• 11/2014    Certificate of catheter-based valve therapy by the DGTHG until 2020
• 02/2006    Certificate transplant from DGTHG
• 2005 - 2018    Further training authorizations from the State Medical Association of North Rhine
  • Heart Surgery 48 months
    • Univ.-Prof. Dr. Wahlers since 11-2005
    • extended 2014
  • general medicine 12 months
    • Univ.- Prof. Dr. Wahlers since 2010 
  • Cardiac surgery intensive medicine
    • OA Dr. Wippermann from 11-2006
    • OA PD Dr. Liakopoulos from 04-2017 basic 
  • surgery 24 months
    • OA Prof. Dr. Wittwer from 10-2007
    • OA PD Dr. Rahmanian from 2014
  • Thoracic Surgery 36 months
    • Prof. Hekmat from 06-2011
• 02/2000    Appointment as Fellow European Board Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons (FEBTCS)
• 05/1994    Additional qualification in rescue medicine (State Medical Association Nierdersachen)
• 08/1993    Authorized training in vascular surgery at the Hannover Medical School (Lower Saxony State Medical Association), thoracic cardiovascular surgery, represented by Prof. Dr. HG Borst

Prizes and awards

• 1993    Köhler Prize of the German Society for Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery together with Prof. Dr. A. Haverich, Hanover for research and further development in the field of clinical lung protection and transplantation
• 1992    Ethicon Prize of the German Society for Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery Lecture: "Use of extracorporeal circulation for lung transplantation"
• 1989    President's Award of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Lecture: "Dose reduction for treatment of rejection following heart transplantation"

Awards as a working group leader

• 2019    St. Jude Prize of the German Society for Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery February 2019
  • Research work of the K. Egbalzadeh working group
  • Co-authors P. Rahmanian, D. Giese, S. Kaya, Y. Choi, W. Kuhn, A. Sabashnikow, S. Baldus, N. Mader, Th. Wahlers: "Rapid Deployment aortic valve replacement vs. Transcatheter valve implantation"
• 2018    Research award for Dr. Fabian Doerr and his working group from the German Society for Thoracic Surgery at the 27th Annual Conference September 2018
  • Research work of the working group represented by Fabian Doerr
  • Co-authors: J. George, A. Schmitt, F.Beleggia, T. Rehkämer, R. Thomas, R. Büttner, T. Persigehl, K.Hekmat, Th.Wahlers, C. Reinhardt: "In the future, checkpoint inhibitors can lead to preoperative downstaging in small-cell lung cancer"
• 2005    Lecture award of the German Society for Thoracic Surgery for the second best poster presentation at the 14th annual conference May 6, 2005
  • Research work of the working group represented by N. Madershaian
  • Co-authors: U. Franke, Th. Wittwer, S.Sakka, Th. Wahlers: "Importance of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in severely traumatized patients with ARDS "
• 2001    Lecture award of the German Cardiac Society for the second best lecture at the annual conference May 24th - 26th 2001 Research work of the working group represented by Mr. M. Kaluza, Ltd. Cardio technician (working group cardio technology / organ perfusion)
  • co-authors K. Liebing U. Franke, Th. Wahlers: "CDI 500 potassium measurement in daily routine and long-term use"
• 2001    Hancock Prize of the German Society for Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery
  • Research work of the working group represented by Dr. U. Stock (Tissue Engineering Working Group)
  • Co-authors: Sakamoto, T., Hatsuoaka, S., Martin, D., Moran, A., Nagashima, M., Moses, M., Khalil, P., Schoen, F., Wahlers Th., Vacanti, J., Mayer, J .: "Patch augmentation of the pulmonary artery with a tissue narrower patch using bioabsorbable polymers and autologous vascular cells"
• 2000    Loder scholarship of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena for doctoral students in the department of dissertation cand. Tanja Krempl
  • Working group circulatory simulation and valve prosthesis function: cand. Med. T. Krempl
  • coauthors Dr. Hartrumpf, PD Dr. J. Albes, Prof. Dr. Th. Wahlers: "Development of a circulation simulation model for testing valve prostheses at different degrees of implantation"
• 1999    Young Talent Award of the German Society for Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery
  • Dissertation thesis of the doctoral candidate cand. Med. Matthias Ochs (Working Group Lung and Organic Ischemia): cand. Med. M. Ochs
  • co-authors: A. Fehrenbach, Th. Wahlers, J. Richter: "The ultrastructure of the type II pneumocytes of the dog's lungs - an electron microscopic study during hypothermic organic ischemia"
• 1998    Young Talent Award of the German Society for Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery
  • Dissertation thesis of the doctoral candidate cand. Med. Martin Hartrumpf (Pulmonary Hypertension Working Group)
  • Co-authors: P. Krieg, Th. Wahlers: "Therapy of pulmonary hypertension with inhaled prostaglandin E1 and nitrogen monoxide - investigations on animal models"

Memberships and board activities

• in national companies:
  • 2000-2005    Thuringian Society for Surgery
  • since 1997    German Cardiology Society
  • since 1997    German Transplant Society
  • 1995 - 2006    Working group Dtsch. Ges. Cardiology Thoracic Organ TX
  • 1986-2002    German Society for Surgery 
  • since 1984    German Society for Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery
• in European Societies:
  • since 2000    Fellow European Board Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons
  • since 1995    European Society for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery
  • since 1990    European Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation
• in international Societies:
  • since 2011    The American Association Thoracic Surgery USA
  • since 2007    The Society of Thoracic Surgeons USA
  • since 1985    International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation

Board activities:

• 2009-2015    Spokesman for the Ordinarienkonvent cardiac surgeons
• 2006 - 2010    Association of German Surgeons, member of the Presidium
• 2006 - 2007    UEMS Brussels as 2nd representative of the German Society THG
• 2005-2013    Board member of the Heart Center Cologne Association
• 2002 - 2010    Association of German Surgeons, representative of the German Society THG
• 2002 - 2006    Board member of the German Society of THG
• 1996-1999    Chairman of the Organ Transplant Working Group
• 1996-1998    Organ Procurement Committee Eurotransplant Leiden
• 1995-1999    Heart and Lung Allocation Committee as the representative of the German Transplant Centers at Eurotransplant Leiden

Advisory board activities:

• since 2003    Scientific Advisory Board for the Association of German Organ Transplants
• since 2000    Scientific Advisory Board German Heart Foundation
• since 2000    Scientific Advisory Board German Transplantation Society

Other activities:

• since 2016    Member of the ethics committee in Cologne
• 2005-2015    Examiner certificate for transplant surgery of the German Society THG