Jörg Rüdiger Siewert

Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c.

Former professor of surgery
TUM School of Medicine

February 8, 1940 to January 9, 2024

jr.siewert(at)tum.de

CV

Rüdiger Siewert is one of the most eminent surgeons in Germany and is regarded as a pioneer in surgical oncology. He devoted more than three decades to innovative surgical methods and interdisciplinary cancer treatment, and is one of the leading specialists in esophageal and gastric surgery. Rüdiger Siewert played a major role in the integration of the university hospital Klinikum rechts der Isar into TUM, and it is today one of the most renowned university hospitals in Europe. In 1999, together with his colleagues in radiotherapy, as well as specialists in hematology and oncology in the 3rd Department of Medicine, he founded the Tumor Therapy Center of TUM’s university hospital Klinikum rechts der Isar, which put them at the forefront of their field in Germany. This model for interdisciplinary cancer treatment has since become pervasive in the sector; German Cancer Aid now supports dedicated comprehensive cancer centers based on the structure of the Munich pilot project. Rüdiger Siewert has been honored for his academic and medical services with countless national and international distinctions and awards. After becoming a professor emeritus of TUM, he served as chief medical director and chair of the board of directors at Heidelberg University Hospital. In 2011, he took a position at the Freiburg University Hospital and has been working there since then. Rüdiger Siewert was also active until 2012 as the chair of the Association of German University Hospitals (VUD).

 

Short biography

1964 / 1965 Doctorate in medicine, Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin
1972 Specialization in surgery, Georg August University, Göttingen
1977 Extraordinary professor and medical director of the Klinik für Allgemeinchirurgie,
Georg August University, Göttingen
1981 Appointment as professor of surgery at TUM and the University of the Saarland, Homburg
1987 – 2007 Medical director of the university hospital Klinikum rechts der Isar, TUM
2007 – 2011 Chief medical director and chair of the board of management at Heidelberg University Hospital
2011 – 2018 Managing medical director and chair of the board of management at Freiburg University Hospital

 

Memberships and honors

Chair of the Bavarian Association of Surgeons e. V. (1986)

President of the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus (1989-1992)

Member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (1993)

President of the congress of the German Cancer Society (1998) President of the International Gastric Cancer Association (1997-1999)

Chair of the board of management of Forum MedTech Pharma e. V. (Allianz Bayern Innovativ) (1999)

Founding president of the of the German Society for General and Visceral Surgery (DGAV)
(1998-1999)

President of the of the German Society of Surgery (DGCH) (2001-2002)

Appointment to the Expert Committee on University Medicine in Berlin (2002)

Honorary professor of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China (2003)

President of the International Society of Surgery (2003-2005)

Permanent senator of the German Society of Surgery (2006)

Supervisory board member of Tübingen University Hospital (1998-2007) Spokesperson for the Medical Technology of Allianz Bayern Innovativ (MedTech Pharma e. V.) (2006-2007)

Chair of the board of management for the Association of German University Hospitals (VUD) (2001, 2003, 2006-2012)

Honorary member of various regional and national surgical societies

 

Visiting professorships

Memorial Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, USA (2000)

Hong Kong Medical Center, China (2001)

Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA (2002)

John Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, USA (2002)

 

Awards

  • Science Prize from the German Society of Surgery (1987)
  • German Federal Cross of Merit (1994)
  • Bavarian Order of Merit (1997)
  • Officier de l’Ordre de la Légion d’honneur (2001)
  • Honorary doctorate from Luciano Blaga University, Sibiu, Romania (2002)
  • German Cancer Aid Award (2005)
  • Rudolf Pichlmayr-medal from the German Society for General and Visceral Surgery (DGAV) (2007)

You can download "Explanations of honors and awards" here [PDF 215 KB]