Prof. Dr. med. Peter Gierschik is Professor emeritus at the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacology of Natural Products of the Ulm University Medical Center. In the past, he was the Medical Director of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Ulm University and Dean of the University’s Faculty of Medicine. As a researcher, he has led diverse research projects and collaborated in many also international projects, including various in Graduate Schools and Collaborative Research Centres. From 2018 to 2022, he acted as ombudsperson for the university and as permanent guest of the Ulm University Commission for Research Integrity and Safeguarding of Good Research Practice.
Academic Training:
1975 – 1976 Department of Pharmacy, University of Munich, Germany
1976 – 1982 Medical School, University of Munich, Germany
Degrees: Approbation als Arzt, Dr. med., 12/1982
Postdoctoral Training:
1983 – 1985 Postdoctoral Fellow, Section of Molecular Pathophysiology, Metabolic Diseases Branch, NIADDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Appointments and Employment:
1985 – 1990 Research Associate, Department of Pharmacology, University of Heidelberg, Germany
1990 Habilitation
1990 – 1992 Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology, University of Heidelberg, Germany
1992 – 1993 Head of the Molecular Pharmacology Division, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
1993 – 2022 Full Professor (C4) of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chairman of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Ulm, Germany
2022 – present Professor emeritus (C4), Institute of Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacology of Natural Products, Ulm University Medical Center
Professional Duties and Honors:
1992 Offer of a Professorship (C4) for Medical Biochemistry at Saarland University
1993 Offer of a Professorship (C4) for Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Marburg
1993 Research Award, SmithKline-Beecham-Stiftung, Göttingen
1993 – 1998 Scientific Advisor, German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development (GIF)
1994 State Specialty Board Certification, Physician of Pharmacology and Toxicology, State of Baden Württemberg Medical Association
1994 Thure-von-Uexküll-Teaching-Award, Ulm University
1994 Schunk-Research-Award, University of Giessen
1995 – 1997 Vice Spokesperson, Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 322
“Lymphohematopoiesis”
1995 – 2001 Scientific Coordinator, Priority Programme “GTPases: central regulators of cellular functions”, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
1996 – 1997 Acting Chief of the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology of Natural Compounds at the University of Ulm
1997 – 2004 Member, Scientific Advisory Board, Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP) im Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V.
1997 – 2000 Member, Scientific Advisory Board, Research Priority Programme, State of Baden-Württemberg
1997 – 1999 Associate Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Ulm University
1998 German Board Certification (Facharztanerkennung)as a Specialist in Pharmacology and Toxicology
1998 – present Member, State Board of Medical Examiners for State Licensure Examinations, Specialty Board of Pharmacology and Toxicology, State of Baden Württemberg Medical Association
1998 – 2005 Member, Scientific Committee, European Symposia on Hormones and Cell Regulation
1998 – 2004 Vice Spokesperson, Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 518 “Inflammation, regeneration, and transformation in the pancreas”
1999 – 2008 Vice Spokesperson, Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 451 “Damage and repair in the cardiovascular system”
1999 Chairman, Scientific Advisory Committee, Helmholtz Society Strategic Fonds Project “Cell communication and signal transduction”, Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft Deutscher Forschungszentren (HGF)
1999 – 2001 Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Ulm University
2000 – 2005 Member, Executive Board, Collaborative Research Center (SFB)
and 2009 – 2011 497 “Signals and Signal Processing during Cellular Differentiation”
2001 – 2005 Member, Senate Committee and Grants Committee on Collaborative Research Centers, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
2003 Member, Scientific Advisory Committee, Life Sciences Organizational Structure and Development Plan, University of Konstanz
2003 State of Baden-Württemberg Teaching Award
2003 and 2006 Offers of a Professorship (C4) for Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Munich (LMU)
2007 – 2016 Member, Supervisory Board, University of Ulm
2007 – 2012 Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Biological Chemistry
2009 – 2018 Vice Chairman, Ph.D. Commission, International Graduate School in Molecular Medicine Ulm (IGradU), funded by the German Research Authorities´ Excellence Initiative
2009 – 2020 Vice-Chairman of the Academic Commission of the Bachelor and Master Courses of Molecular Medicine
2010 – 2018 Member, Advisory Committee of the German University in Cairo (GUC) at Ulm University
2010 – 2022 Coopted Member, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Ulm University
2011 – 2022 Member, Ethics Committee, Ulm University
2012 – 2020 Member, Executive Board, Collaborative Research Center and (SFB) 1074 “Experimental Models and Clinical Translation in Leukemia”
2014 – 2019 Associate Dean for Career Advancement and Equal Opportunity Employment of the Faculty of Medicine, Ulm University
2015 Teaching Award, “Goldene Ehrenspritze”, Ulm University Student Council Medicine, Best Teaching within the Clinical Part of Human Medicine Studies
2016 Teaching Award for Excellent Teaching in the Bachelor- and Master Courses of Studies in Molecular Medicine, Ulm University Student Council Molecular Medicine
2015 – 2022 Speaker, Ulm University Center of Fine and Performing Arts (Musisches Zentrum, MUZ)
2018 – 2021 Member, Board of Directors, Graduate & Professional Training Centre Ulm (ProTrainU), Ulm University
2018 – 2022 Ulm University Ombudsperson for the Life Sciences, permanent guest of the Ulm University Commission for “Research Integrity and Safeguarding of Good Research Practice”
2022 – present External Consultant of Ulm University Ethics Committee
2022 – present Freelance Consultant in Pharmacology and Toxicology as well as Medical Ethics and Research Integrity
2025 – present Head, Friends´ Association proMUZ of Ulm University´s Center of Fine and Performing Arts
2026 – 2029 Member, Ombuds Committee for Research Integrity in Germany, appointed by the association OWID e.V., formed by the members of the Alliance of Science Organizations (Allianz der Wissenschaftsorganisationen)
Titelfoto via Pixabay, Foto P. Gierschik: private