Research

Sebastian Suerbaum is distinguished for important contributions to the field of Medical Microbiology, most of which were performed at the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at Ruhr-University Bochum, the Institut Pasteur, the Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology in Würzburg and, most importantly, the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology of Hannover Medical School.

His work focuses on the carcinogenic bacterium Helicobacter pylori, related pathogens of the gastrointestinal tract, and more recently also the commensal intestinal microbiota. An area of his work that has attracted particular attention in recent years is the genetic variation in Helicobacter pylori and its relationship with human migrations as well as host adaptation.

Career

• since 2016 Professor for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology and Chair, Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology, Max von Pettenkofer-Institut, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Germany
  
• 2003-2016 Full Professor for Medical Microbiology and Director of the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology of Hannover Medical School, Germany
• 1999-2003 Associate Professor and Deputy Chairman, Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Germany
• 1995-1999 Deputy Chairman, Dept. of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
• 1995 Habilitation for Medical Microbiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
• 1994 Certification as Specialist Physician for Microbiology and Infection Epidemiology
• 1991-1993 Postdoctoral Research Fellow (funded by German Research Foundation), Institut Pasteur, Unité des Entérobactéries, Paris, France
• 1989-1995 Research Fellow / Physician in training, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
• 1988 Clinical Residency, Clinical Department, Institute for Tropical Medicine Hamburg, Germany
• 1988 M.D., Ruhr University Bochum (summa cum laude), Germany
• 1987 Course and Diploma for Tropical Medicine and Medical Parasitology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
• 1981-1987 Studies of Medicine at Ruhr University Bochum, with semesters at the University of Vienna and clinical rotations at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
• 1982-1984 Studies of Philosophy as second subject

Projects

• since 2011 German Center for Infection Research (DZIF): Coordinator Partner site Hannover Braunschweig and Coordinator Thematic Translational Unit “Gastrointestinal Infections”
• 2011-2014 Coordinator, HELDIVPAT consortium within ERA-NET PathoGenoMics
• since 2010 Deputy Speaker CRC 900 „Chronic Infections: Microbial Persistence and its Control”
• since 2010 Member, Scientific Advisory Board, BMBF Funding Initiative Medical Infection Genomics
• since 2009 Member, Scientific Advisory Board, Center for Infection Research, University of Würzburg, Germany
• since 2008 Deputy Speaker, CRC 621 „Pathobiology of the intestinal mucosa“
• 2007-2010 Coordinator, HELDIVNET consortium within ERA-NET PathoGenoMics
• since 2006 Scientific Director, Quality Assurance Programme Bacteriology (INSTAND e.V.)
• 2006-2015 Speaker, International Graduate Training Group IRTG 1273 “Strategies of human pathogens to establish acute and chronic infections" (together with Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden)
• 2006-2010 Steering Committee Member, EU FP6 Integrated Project "INCA - The role of infections in the pathogenesis of cancer"

Functions

• since 2010 President, German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology (DGHM)
• 2008-2014 Scientific Member, DFG Senate Committee and Grants Committee for Collaborative Research Centers
• 2005-2010 Secretary, German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology (DGHM)
• 2004-2008 Elected Member, DFG Study Section on Microbiology, Virology and Immunology

Honours and Memberships

• 2013 Election to Membership, Academia Europaea
• 2012 Heinz P. R. Seeliger Award
• 2011 Election to Membership, German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
• 2007 Eva and Klaus Grohe Award, Berlin Brandenburg Academy of Sciences, Germany
• 2007 Behring Lecture Award, University of Marburg, Germany
• 2004 Main Award, German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology (DGHM)
• 1996 Gerhard Hess Award, German Research Foundation
• 1994 Medical Faculty Research Award, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
• 1994 Junior Researcher Award, German Society of Hygiene and Microbiology
• 1982-1987 Stipend recipient, German National Academic Foundation