• 1975 - 1977 Study of Medicine at the University of Tübingen.
• 1977 - 1977 Study of Medicine at the University of Erlangen, Institute of Electrophysiology and Physiology (Prof., Dr. W. Keidel).
• 1977 - 1981 Study of Medicine at Heidelberg University.
• 1979 Medical Training, London University College, Internship at the Guy's Hospital.
• October 1981 Medical exam.
• 1975 - 1977 Study of Biochemistry, University of Tuebingen.

Professional and Academic Achievements

• 1981 State medical examination, doctoral thesis defense.
• 1986 Medical Specialist in Otolaryngology.
• 1987 Habilitation in Otolaryngology. Subject: "Experimental studies of the influence of drugs on the auditory system of animals".
• 1990 Habilitation at the University of Tuebingen.
• 1993 Professor of Otolaryngology at the Hannover Medical School.

Additional Qualifications

• 01.15.1996 Head of the Degum Seminar on (ultrasound) diagnostics of the head and neck.
• 28.08.1996 Additional Qualification in Allergology.
• 14.09.1998 Additional Qualification in Environmental Medicine.
• 05.19.1999 Additional Qualification in Special Otolaryngologic Surgery, Medical Association of Lower Saxony.
• 25.07.2000 Additional Qualification in Quality Management.

Professional and Academic Career

• 1981 - 1986 Internship in Otolaryngology, Department of Otolaryngology at the University Hospital Heidelberg (Head: Prof. Dr. H. G. Boenninghaus).
• 1986 - 1989 Senior Physician of the Department of Otolaryngology at the University Hospital Heidelberg under the direction of Prof. Dr. H. G. Boenninghaus (until September 1987) and Prof. Dr. H. Weidauer (Head of the Department of Audiology and Neurotology as part of the Cochlear Implantation Program).
• 1987 Habilitation with the experimental paper on the neuropharmacology of the auditory system.
• 1988 - 1989 Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of California in San Francisco, Department of Otolaryngology, Coleman Laboratories (R. Schindler, M. Merzenich, and P. Leake), papers in the field of electrophysiology and morphology, subject: "Cochlear implantation in children. Development of an experimental tinnitus model on animals".
• 1989 - 1993 Head of Research Project on Otology, Audiology, and Neurotology "Completely Implanted Hearing Aid" (later Implex TICA).
• 1992 Invitation to the position of C4 Professor in Otolaryngology, Hannover Medical School (successor: Prof. Dr. E. Lenhardt).
• Since 01.02.1993 Head of the Department of Adult and Pediatric Otolaryngology at the Hannover Medical School. Expansion of the Cochlear Implantation Program in the international leading center. Currently, it performs about 500 implants per year in children and adults. Development of fundamental and clinical research in the field of cochlear implants, implantable hearing aids, and conventional hearing aids.
• 2003 Establishment of the German Hearing Center in Hanover for comprehensive care for patients with hearing impairment, including clinical studies.
• 2006 Creation of a telemedicine network Live International Otolaryngology Network (LION).
• February 2009 Honorary Professor in Otolaryngology, Iran University of Medical Sciences and Health.
• 2009 Establishment of the Research Center "Integrated Institute of Audioneurotechnologies and Nanobiomaterials Hanover" (VIANNA).

Functions and Positions

• 1995 - 2001 Chairman of the Association of German-speaking Audiologists and Neurotologists.
• Since 2003 Press Secretary of the Center for Special Scientific Research 599 "Stable biodegradable (resolving) and permanent implants of metal and ceramic materials", Hannover Medical School.
• Since 2003 Representative of the Head Center at the Hannover Medical School.
• 2003 Coordination of "Biomedical Engineering" program.
• Since January 2007 EAANO Regional Secretary/EAONO Steering Committee Member.
• Since 2007, Board Member of the Center for Joint Research Transregio 37 micro- and nanosystems in medicine.
• Since 2007 Member of the Council of the Centers of Excellence for Hearing and its Disorders in Lower Saxony.
• Since 2007 AWMF Representative of the German Society for Skull Base Surgery and Audiology.
• Since 2008 Board Member of the Hearing Research Center Hannover – Oldenburg.
• Since 2010 Board Member of the German Society for Biomedical Engineering.
• Since 2012 Spokesman of the Center of Excellence "Hearing4all" Oldenburg – Hannover.

Presidency

• 2001 - 2003 President of the European Federation of Audiology Societies (EFAS).
• 2006 - 2007 President of the German Society for Computerized and Robotic Surgery (CURAC).
• 2007 - 2009 President of the German Society of Audiology (DGA).
• 2007 - 2009 Vice President of the German Skull Base Surgery Society.
• Since April 2009 President of the German Skull Base Surgery Society (DGSB).
• Since March 2010 Deputy Chairman of the German Society for Biomedical Engineering (DGBMT).
• Since March 2013 Chairman of the German Society for Biomedical Engineering (DGBMT).

Main Research Focuses

• Identification of causes, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing disorders.
• Design, development, and testing of auditory implants (cochlear implants, central auditory implants, implantable hearing aids, middle ear prostheses).
• Protection and regeneration of the peripheral part of the auditory system.
• Clinical audiology.
• Local drug therapy for the treatment of internal ear diseases.
• Computerized and robotic surgery.

Awards

• 1987 Moos Award of the Academy of Sciences at Heidelberg University for the best doctoral thesis at the medical faculty.
• 2008 Honorary Professor of Tehran University.
• 2009 Alfred Mann Foundation Award for Scientific Achievement, Los Angeles.
• 2012 Honorable Award of the City of Garbsen.
• 2016 Honorary Prize of Prof. Dr. Ludwig Haymann Foundation, German Society of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery.