Born on 22 June 1954 in Duisburg, Germany.

Education

• 1964-1972 : Secondary education at the Altsprachliches Landferman Gymnasium, Duisburg
• 1974-1980 : Medical studies
• 1974-1976 : Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium
• 1976-1980 : Faculty of Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Germany
• 1980 : Doctorate in Medicine

Professional career

• 1981-1983 : Assistant at St. Vincenz Hospital, Duisburg, Germany (1981-1983) ;
• 1983-1989 : Assistant, then Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Hamburg (1983-1989) ;
• 1989-1993 : Fellow, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, USA (1989-1993) ;
• 1993-2000 : Full Professor of Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Germany (1993-2000) ;
• 1999-2000 : Visiting Professor at the Collège de France, European Annual Chair