Dr. Jens U Wurthner

Clinical Program Leader
Novartis Oncology Translational Medicine
Fabrikstrasse
Switzerland
4002

Brief Biography:

QUALIFICATIONS

 Degree:M.D./Ph.D.

Board certifications:

1. Pharmaceutical Medicine

2. Medical Microbiology, Virology and Infection Epidemiology

EMPLOYMENT

Since March 2009 Director 

Translational Pharmacology and Discovery Medicine (equivalent to Global Early Clinical Development) GSK biopharmR&D

 January 2006 – February 2009 Oncology Research Physician 

AstraZeneca Global Clinical Development – Oncology & Infection

2002 – 2005 Clinical Fellow and Group Leader 

Institute for Medical Microbiology, University of Düsseldorf, FRG

2001 – 2002 Clinical Fellow

Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Technical University of Munich

1997 – 2000Postdoc & Visiting Fellow

Laboratory of Cell Regulation & Carcinogenesis (Head: Dr. Anita Roberts), National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

1995 – 1997 Residency in Internal Medicine, Dept. of Hematology/ Oncology, University of Freiburg, Germany

EDUCATION

2006 – 2011 Higher Medical Training in Pharmaceutical Medicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians, UK

2006 – 2008 Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine, University of Cardiff 

1988 – 1995 MD & PhD (equivalent), University of Hamburg, Germany

1992 – 1995 Experimental doctoral thesis work on signal transduction in Leydig cells, Institute for Hormone & Fertility Research, Hamburg (Prof. Leidenberger)

EXAMINATIONS

2008Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK

2005Board examination Medical Microbiology, Virology & Infection Epidemiology, Physicians Chamber Northrhine Westphalia, Germany 

1995, 1996USMLE - United States Medical Licensing Examination Part 1 and 2

1996PhD Defense, University of Hamburg, Germany

1995German Medical licensing exam, University of Hamburg, Germany

Academic positions:

Honarary Lecturer Kings College, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences (ongoing, since 2012)

Honorary Lecturer, University of Manchester, UK, 2008 -2011

Honorary Visiting Consultant, Wythenshawe Hospital, UK, 2006 - 2008

Clinical Fellow and group leader, Institute for Medical Microbiology, University of Düsseldorf, Germany, 2002 - 2005 (last year level of attending physician)

Clinical Fellow, Insitute for Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Technical University of Munich, Germany, 2001 - 2002

Postdoc & Visiting Fellow, Laboratory of Cell Regulation & Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 1997 - 2000

Intern-Resident, Department for Hematlogy/Oncology, University of Freiburg, Germany

PhD student (equivalent), Institute for Hormone and Fertility Research, University of Hambur, 1992 - 1995

Research interests:

current:

Development of biomarkers for early decision making in go-nogo decisions in clinical development programmes

Clinical trials in oncology, infectious diseases, neuro-degeneration and immunoinflammation

past:

Development of new diagnostic assays (realtime PCR) for the identification of Gut-related/food borne pathogens, MRSA and pathogens causing ‘atypical’ pneumonia

TGF-ß signal transduction in vitro und in vivo; generation of transgenic mice

Statistical analysis and database programming as part of the mandatory Infectious disease surveillance (§23 IfSG) (Univ. of Düsseldorf & associated hospitals)

Computer-simulations of biochemical pathways

Any other information:

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
• General Medical Council (GMC) and Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (FPM), UK
• German Society for Hygiene & Microbiology
• German Society for Immunology

What I think of the idea behind WebmedCentral:

Current publication pathways introduce bias in published literature due to the non-anonymous manuscript submission, but anonymous review.

I am in favour of making both submission and review absolutely transparent. Whether the post-hoc review is better than pre-publication remains to be shown; in any case, it will be a lot faster.