Lothar Heinz Wieler (born 8 February 1961) is a German veterinarian and microbiologist who served as president of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) from 2015 to 2023. In this capacity, he advised the German Federal and State Governments on topics of public health, especially infection hazards, and on the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Early life and education Wieler was born in Königswinter, Germany. He studied veterinary medicine at Free University of Berlin and LMU Munich from 1980 to 1985.CV of Lothar Wieler Robert Koch Institute.
Career From 1998 until 2015, Wieler worked as professor and director of the Institute of Microbiology and Epizootics at the Free University of Berlin. During that time, he spent a sabbatical at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Hinxton under the supervision of Gordon Dougan.
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, Wieler launched Europe’s first large-scale SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing in an effort to help researchers assess infection rates and monitor the spread of the virus more effectively; the study was carried out jointly by the Robert Koch Institute, Charité and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research.Guy Chazan and Donato Paolo Mancini (9 April 2020), Germany to run Europe’s first large-scale antibody test programme Financial Times.
In addition to his role at RKI, Wieler was a member of the World Health Organization's Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Infectious Hazards (STAG-IH) since 2018.Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Infectious Hazards (STAG-IH) World Health Organization. In 2020, he chaired the WHO's Committee for the Review of the International Health Regulations.Sheri Fink (12 May 2021), Experts Call for Sweeping Reforms to Prevent the Next Pandemic New York Times. Also in 2020, he was appointed to the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance, co-chaired by Sheikh Hasina and Mia Mottley.Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance World Health Organization.
Since 2023, Wieler has been working at the Hasso Plattner Institute.Sandra Calvez (15 June 2023), Prävention durch Digitalisierung: Was Lothar Wieler am HPI in Potsdam erreichen will Der Tagesspiegel.
Other activities Virchow Prize for Global Health, Member of the Council (since 2022)Council Virchow Prize for Global Health. World Health Organization (WHO), Member of the European Advisory Committee on Health Research (since 2018)European Advisory Committee on Health Research (EACHR) World Health Organization (WHO). Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness (GloPID-R), Member of the Scientific Advisory Board (since 2016) Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Member of the Board of TrusteesBoard of Trustees Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications. Robert Koch Foundation, Member of the Scientific Advisory CouncilScientific Advisory Council Robert Koch Foundation.
Awards 2024 Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
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