Research

Main research interests: Pathogenic aspects of viral infections

Volker ter Meulen is a physician. His research focused on pathogenic aspects of viral infections, in particular infections of the central nervous system. As XXV. President of the Leopoldina 2003-2010, he intensified international collaboration of the academy.

Career

• since 2013 Co-Chair of the InterAcademy Panel (IAP)
• since 2010 Past President of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• 2007-2010 President of the European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC)
• 2003-2010 President of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, which was appointed the National Academy of Sciences in 2008
• 1975-2003 Chairman of the Institute of Virology and Immunobiology, University of Würzburg
• 1971-1975 Head of the Department of Clinical Virology, Institute of Virology, University of Würzburg
• 1969-1970 Visiting scientist at the Wistar Institute for Anatomy and Biology, Philadelphia, and Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory, Department of Public Health, Berkeley, USA
• 1968 Habilitation (paediatrics and clinical virology)
• 1968 Certificate in Paediatrics, German Board of Paediatrics
• 1963-1965 Training in Virology, Department of Virology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
• 1961-1963 Internship in gynaecology, surgery, internal medicine and dermatology
• 1960 Ph.D. (Dr. med.), University of Göttingen
• 1955-1960 Medical Schools, Universities of Münster, Innsbruck, Kiel, Göttingen

Honours and Memberships

• 2018 Honorary senator of the University Würzburg
• 2018 Honorary doctorate of the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
• 2018 Order of Merit of the State of Saxony-Anhalt
• 2011 Honorary Member of the German Society for Virology
• 2010 Honorary Member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• 2009 Robert Koch Medal in Gold
• 2008 Commander’s Cross, Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
• 2008 Doctor honoris causa, University of Freiburg
• 2008 Honorary Member of the Society for General Microbiology
• 2006 Bene Merenti in Gold, University of Würzburg
• 2006 Bavarian Order for Science and Art
• 2003 Pro Meritis Scientiae et Litterarum of the Bavarian Ministry of Science
• 2003 Ernst Jung Medal for Medicine in Gold
• 2002 Honorary Member of the Società Italiana di Virologia
• 2000 Emil von Behring Prize
• 2000 Pioneer Award, International Society of NeuroVirology
• 2000 Bavarian Order of Merit
• 1994 Dr. Robert Pfleger Prize
• 1992 Max Planck Research Prize
• 1992 Knight’s Cross, Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
• 1985 Aronson Prize (Senate Berlin)