Otmar Wiestler

Otmar D. Wiestler (Born November 6, 1956 in Freiburg im Breisgau) is a German physician, a professor at the University of Heidelberg and was until recently the Director of the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ) until his election as President of the Helmholtz Association in 2015. He is not a typical basic scientist, but he successfully entered a number of highly popular fields of clinical research, including cancer research, tumor genetics and, more recently, stem cell research. He focuses on technology transfer of already existing technologies from basic science into clinical use, rather than developing the basic science.

From 1975 to 1981 Wiestler went to the Medical School at the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg. Under the direction of Paul Kleihues and Benedict Volk, Wiestler worked as assistant at the University of Freiburg until 1994, when he finished his thesis with summa cum laude. As a PostDoc he joined Gernot Walter for three years at the Institute of Pathology at the University of California San Diego. From 1987 to 1992 he was staff physician at the Department of Neuropathology at the Institute of Pathology of the University Hospital in Zürich, Switzerland, again with Paul Kleihues. In 1989 he temporarily headed the department. From 1992 to 2003, he was elected full professor and chair for Neuropathology at the university clinics in Bonn.

Since 2000 Wiestler is known to the public as a supporter of stem cell research in Germany.

From 2002 to 2003 Wiestler was also CEO of LIFE & BRAIN GmbH in Bonn. In 2004, Wiestler succeeded Harald zur Hausen as Chairman and scientific member of the Foundation Board of the German Cancer Research Centre.

Wiestler is or was in different scientific boards:

• 1998-1999 President of the German Society for Neuropathology and Neuroanatomy
• 2000-2003 Chairman of the Technical Committee Theoretical Medicine of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Science Foundation)
• Since 2001 Member of the Review Panel, NCCR Neural Plasticity & Repair, Zurich
• Since 2001 Member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• 2002-2003 Chairman of the Stem Cell Network Research of North Rhine-Westphalia
• Since 2004 Chairman of the Advisory Committee and member of the board of the German Cancer Aid founded by Mildred Scheel
• Since 2005 Member of the Board of Trustees of the Hertie Foundation
• Since 2006 Member of the Board of the Georg Speyer House, Frankfurt
• Since 2007 Member of the Board of Trustees of the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen
• Since 2007 Vice-President of the Helmholtz Community
• Since 2007 Member of the Advisory Board of Molecular Diagnostics Siemens Medical Solutions

On 8 April 2005 Wiestler received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Wiestler has numerous original publications in journals of the neuropathology and cancer research. He also edited several books and is in the Editorial Board of various journals.

• O. D. Wiestler, G. Walter: Developmental expression of two forms of pp60c-src in mouse brain Molecular and Cellular Biology 8 / 1988, p. 502-504.
• H. K Wolf, O. D. Wiestler:Malformative and neoplastic glioneuronal lesions in patients with chronic pharmacoresistant epilepsies. In: Advances in neurology81/1999, p. 69-79. PMID 10549483
• R. H. Eibl, P. Kleihues, P.S. Jat, O. D. Wiestler: A model for primitive neuroectodermal tumors in transgenic neural transplants harboring the SV40 large T antigen. Am J Pathol. 1994 Mar; 144 (3) :556-64