Thorsten Wahlers MD, PhD

Dr. Thorsten Wahlers, MD, Ph.D. is a Director of the Clinic at the University Hospital Cologne. After studying medicine at the universities of Bonn, Dusseldorf, and Cologne, Professor Wahlers received his doctorate from the University of Cologne. He started his surgical career in 1983 at Hannover Medical School with Prof. Hans Borst and became a senior cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon in 1991 at the University of Hanover. In 1986/87 he worked in Harefield/UK with Prof. Magdi Yacoub. He was first appointed Professor in 1996 at Hannover Medical School. In 1999 he became University-Professor and Chief of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. In November 2005, he took over the Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery at the University Hospital Cologne. Professor Wahlers's specialties include complex bypass surgery, minimally invasive valve surgery including all catheter-interventional procedures, aortic aneurysm and dissection surgery, ECMO and ECLS therapy, cardiac assistance devices, heart and lung transplants, as well as thoracic surgery.

He received numerous prizes, published more than 580 papers in national and international journals, and is serving as a reviewer for more than 25 journals. Many of his scholars have reached leading positions in universities and academic hospitals.

Thorsten Wahlers is a member of numerous national (DGTHG, DGK) and international associations (EACTS, STS, AATS). He is also a consultant for the German Society for Thoracic, and Cardiovascular Surgery, the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the German Research Foundation.