Professor of Medical Psychology, University of Magdeburg, (Germany)
Present position
Full-Professor of Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Otto-v.-Guericke University of Magdeburg, Germany (since 1992). Business: CSO/CTO, SAVIR GmbH, Germany
Research interests
Brain plasticity after eye and brain lesions with focus on visual system damage, vision restoration with behavioral training and non-invasive current stimulation, neuropsychology and neurophysiology of visual system damage, visual system functional imaging; quality of life and low vision, prediction models of vision restoration; nanotechnology for neuroimaging and drug delivery.
| Education | |
| 1976-1980 | Univ. Trier (Germany) and Clark University (Worcester, USA) (B.A. in Psychology) |
| 1980-1982 | Univ. Düsseldorf, Psychobiology, Diplom (M.A. in Psychobiology) |
| 1982-1984 | Clark Univ., Ph.D. in Psychobiology |
| Appointments | |
| 1984-86 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA; Postdoctoral fellow |
| 1986-92 | Ludwig-Maximilians Universtiy of Munich Medical School Research Scientist |
| 1991 | Harvard Med. School, Visiting Neurosci (Neurol), Mass Gen Hospital, Boston, USA |
| 1992-now | Univ. Magdeburg Medical School, Full Professor, Inst. of Med. Psych., Magdeburg |
| 1998-1999 | Princeton University, Visiting Research Fellow, Dept. of Psychology, USA |
| 2011-2013 | Chinese Academy of Sciences, Senior visiting professor, Inst. Automation, Beijing |
| 2012-2015 | Beijing Tongren Hospital Eye Clinic Adjunct Professor Capital Medical Univ., China |
| Honors | |
| 1978-80 | Clark Univ. Exchange Scholar |
| 1982-84 | German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) scholar and FULBRIGHT scholar |
| 2000 | Maria Saveria Cinquegrani-Award, for “Best Innovation in Communication and Information Technologies”, Innov. Relay Centres (IRC) of the Europ. Community, Florenz, Italy |
| 2005 | Leonardo Da Vinci-Award, World Organization for the Achievement of Human Potential, Philadelphia, USA |
| 2008 | Science4Life Venture Cup, 3rd place in national business plan competition Technologies GmbH, Frankfurt (Germany), 2008 |
| 2009 | Venture Lounge Berlin; 1. place, national business plan competition |
| 2011 | Start-up Beacon Award; Winner, National Ministry of Economic Development |
| 2013 | "Hai-ju" Beijing Overseas Talents Award (by City of Beijing, PR China) |
| 2019 | Gusi Peace Prize, Manila, Philippines |
| 2020 | EMA AWARD 2020, European Medical Association |
| Leadership positions | |
| 1997-now | Editor-in-Chief, “Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience” |
| 2008-2010 | Vice President for Research & Technology, Otto-v.-Guericke Univ. Magdeburg |
| 2010-now | Governor, International Association of Brain Injury (IBIA) |
| 2012-now | Conference Organizer of series of symposia “Low Vision and the Brain” |
| 2017-now | Secretary (-2022), now Vice-President, “International Society for Low Vision Research and Rehabilitation” (ISLRR) |
| 2019-now | Chairman State Chapter, Association of German Universities (DHV) |
Scientific publications
>250 SCI publications; 9 books; 20 patents; Citations: >12.000; H-factor: 62
Publications in: Science, Nature, Nature medicine, Neurology, Brain, JAMA Ophthalmology, British J Ophthal, IOVS, etc.