CV

Prof. Schwaiger was director of nuclear medicine at the Klinikum Rechts der Isar of the TUM from 1993 to 2017. His research focues on multimodal imaging for the visualization and quantification of biological processes. This includes the application of positron emission tomography (PET) in cardiology and oncology. He headed the DFG Collaborative Research Centre 824, which deals with the use of molecular imaging for the selection and monitoring of oncological therapies. The diagnosis and therapy of endocrine thyroid diseases are a clinical focus of the nuclear medicine clinic.

Prof. Schwaiger studied medicine at the FU Berlin and the University of Freiburg. His positions as physician and scientist led him to the UCLA School of Medicine (Los Angeles, USA) and the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, USA), where he was professor of internal medicine until 1993. Prof. Schwaiger is a member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Leopoldina. 

Prof. Schwaiger was founding director of the TranslaTUM (2017). He was medical director of the Klinikum Rechts der Isar from July 2016 to June 2021

 

Short biography

1969 – 1975			Studies in medicine and doctorate, Freie Universität Berlin and Klinikum Rechts der Isar, TUM
1976 – 1980			Assistent physician, TU Munich, Hospital Andino, Peru; Deutsches Herzzentrum, University of Cincinnati, USA
1981 – 1987			Assistent professor for radiological sciences, department of nuclear medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, USA
1987 – 1993			Director, cardiovascular nuclear medicine, since 1991 professor of medicine, University of Michigan, USA
1993 – 2017			Full professor of nuklear medicine, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, TUM
1998 – 2002			Scientific director of the Institute for radiology at the German Heart Centre, Munich
2017			Founding director of TranslaTUM
2016 - 2021			Medical director of the Klinikum Rechts der Isar, TUM
from 2023			President of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities

 

Memberships and honors

Member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (2004)

Member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences  (2005)

 

Awards

• Heinz Maier-Leibnitz-Medal (2019)
• Advanced ERC grant (2012 – 2017)
• International Prize "Sebetia-Ter" for nuclear medical imaging, Neapel, Italy (2012)
• Paul C. Aebersold Award for Outstanding Achievement in Basic Nuclear Medicine Science (2011)
• Bavarian Maximilan Order for Science and Art (2010)
• Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2009)
• Honorary Doctorate of the University of Varna, Bulgaria (2007)
• Hermann Blumgart-Preis, Society of Nuclear Medicine (2006)
• Von Hevesy Medal of Hungarian Society of Nuclear Medicine (2005)
• Unrestricted grant award; cardiovascular research, BMS foundation, Princeton, USA (2005)
• Henry Wagner Lecture, Society of Nuclear Medicine, Los Angeles (2002)
• Distinguished Scientist Award, Academy of Molecular Imaging, AMI, San Diego (2002)

Explanations of prizes and honours can be found here. [pdf-file to download 215 KB]

 

Key publications

Lordick F, Ott K, Krause BJ, Weber WA, Becker K, Stein HJ, Lorenzen S, Schuster T, Wieder H, Herrmann K, Bredenkamp R, Hofler H, Fink U, Peschel C, Schwaiger M, Siewert JR, et al. “PET to assess early metabolic response and to guide treatment of adenocarcinoma of the oesophagogastric junction: The MUNICON phase II trial”. Lancet Oncology. 2007; 8: 797-805.

Haubner R, Wester HJ, Weber WA, Mang C, Ziegler SI, Goodman SL, Senekowitsch-Schmidtke R, Kessler H, Schwaiger M. “Noninvasive imaging of alpha(v)beta(3) integrin expression using F-18-labeled RGD-containing glycopeptide and positron emission tomography”. Cancer Research. 2001; 61(5): 1781-1785.

Bengel FM, Ueberfuhr P, Schiepel N, Nekolla SG, Reichart B, Schwaiger M. “Effect of sympathetic reinnervation on cardiac performance after heart transplantation.” N Engl J Med. 2001; 345(10): 731-738.

Schwaiger M, Hutchins GD, Kalif V, Rosenspire K, Haka MS, Mallette S, Deep GM, Abrams GD, Wieland D. “Evidence for regional catecholamine uptake and storage sites in the transplanted human heart by positron emission tomography”. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 1991; 87(5): 1681-1690