Research

Meinhard Classen ist ein international bekannter klinischer Forscher auf dem Gebiet der Gastroenterologie mit speziellem Interesse an digestiver Onkologie, insbesondere an der Tumorprävention. Er nahm an zahlreichen klinischen Studien als Initiator, Leiter oder Teilnehmer teil und entwickelte völlig neuartige Methoden für die endoskopische Diagnostik und Therapie präneoplastischer und neoplastischer Erkrankungen des Digestionstrakt. Gegenwärtig plant er gemeinsam mit Professor W. C. You, Direktor der Beijing School of Oncology, eine Studie, die den Nachweis führen soll, dass die Eradikation von Helicobacter pylori die spätere Entwicklung von Magenkrebs verhütet. Diese Studie ist von Bedeutung, weil Magenkrebs in vielen Ländern das häufigste Malignom im Verdauungstrakt ist. Die Anregung zu dieser Studie ging von ihm aus.    

Meinhard Classen is an internationally renowned scientist in clinical gastroenterology with a special interest in digestive oncology and tumour prevention. He was actively involved in different capacities – as initiator, director and participant – in a wide range of clinical studies and developed new techniques for the endoscopic diagnosis and therapy of preneoplastic and neoplastic diseases of the digestive tract. Together with Professor W. C. You, Director of the Beijing School of Oncology, he currently plans a study which is meant to demonstrate that the eradication of Helicobacter pylori will prevent a later development of stomach cancer. This study which is the product of Meinhard Classen’s efforts is of particular importance because stomach cancer is, in most lesser developed countries, the most common malignant tumour of the digestive tract.    

Career

• 1985-2002 Full Professor for Internal Medicine at the Technical University of Munich, Germany
• 1979-1984 Full Professor for Internal Medicine at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
• 1974-1979 Chief Consultant at the Allgemeines Krankenhaus Hamburg-Barmbek, Hamburg, Germany
• 1970-1974 Senior Consultant at the University Hospital in Erlangen, Germany
• 1970 Habilitation at the University of Erlangen, Germany
• 1962 Doctoral degree at the University of Bonn, Germany
• 1956-1962 Medical studies at the universities of Bonn, Freiburg and Vienna

Projects

• 2011 Start of the study “Large Trial in Linqu County / China“ for the prevention of stomachcancer
• 2010 Organization and coordination of a workshop on “Colon Cancer in Europe” in Barcelona, Spain; together with UEGF / IDCA / ESDO / IARC
• 2009 Organization and coordination of a workshop on “Colon Cancer in Europe” in London, UK; together with UEGF / IDCA / ESDO / IARC
• 2008 Organization and coordination of a workshop on “Colon Cancer in Europe” in Vienna, Austria; together with UEGF / IDCA / ESDO / IARC
• 2004 Campaigns to combat colon cancer in Brazil and Russia, a campaign to combat stomach cancer in China
• 2004 Planning, organization and coordination of the 1st National Conference “Screening Can Defeat Colon Cancer” on behalf of Deutsche Krebshilfe / German Cancer Aid (“Network Against Colon Cancer“) on 25 and 26 February 2004 in Berlin
• 2003 Campaigns to combat colorectal cancer in Europe
• since 2002 Pilot study “Large Trial in Linqu County / China“ into the prevention of stomach cancer
• 2002 Establishment of the International Digestive Cancer Alliance together with Professor Sidney Winawer, New York, to increase the global awareness of digestive tract cancers and to distribute information from the field of digestive oncology
• 1995 Establishment of the Gastroenterology Foundation e.V., aiming to fund and construct gastroenterological training centres in Soweto, South Africa; Rabat, Morocco, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Dhulikhel, Nepal

Functions

• since 2006 Mentoring programme at the Technical University, Munich
• 2002-2008 Founder and co-Chairman of the International Digestive Cancer Alliance – IDCA
• 2001 President of the Bavarian Society of Gastroenterology
• 1998-2002 President of the World Organisation of Gastroenterology – OMGE/WGO
• since 1995 First chairman of Gastroenterology Foundation e.V., Munich, Germany
• 1990-1998 Secretary-General of the World Organisation of Gastroenterology – OMGE
• 1990-1997 Vice-President of the World Organisation of Digestive Endoscopy – OMED
• 1994 President of the German Society of Internal Medicine and of its 100th congress
• 1988-2003 Editorial responsibilities at many international journals: Editor-in-Chief for ENDOSCOPY, DER INTERNIST, World Gastroenterology News (WGO Newsletter), International Member of the Editorial Board of the Chinese Journal of Gastroenterology; Editor/Editor-in-Chief of various German and international medical journals and textbooks in the fields of internal medicine, gastroenterology and endoscopy
• 1987 President of the German Society of Digestive and Metabolic Diseases
• 1980 Vice-President of the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy – ESGE
• 1980 President of the European Congress of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Honours and Memberships

• 2009 Gustav von Bergmann Medal of the German Society for Internal Medicine
• 2009 Honorary doctorate from the Charles University, Prague (Czech Republic)
• 2007 Emeritus of Excellence at the Technical University, Munich, Germany
• 2006 Thannhauser Medal of the German Society for Digestive and Metabolic Diseases
• 2005 Honorary doctorate from the University of Wroclaw, Poland
• 2003 Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, First Class
• 2000 Bavarian Order of Merit, Germany
• 1996 Honorary doctorate from the University of Athens,(Greece
• 1996 Honorary doctorate from the University of Iasi, Romania
• 1995 Golden Award of Honour by the Bavarian Internists
• 1995 Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, First Class
• 1992 Honorary doctorate from the Cerrapasha University, Istanbul, Turkey
• 1991 Membership of the Leopoldina
• 1973 Thannhauser Award of the German Society for Digestive and Metabolic Diseases
• 1970 Schindler Prize of the European Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy