Professor Michael Manns serves as President and Dean of Hannover Medical School (MHH) in Hannover, Germany, a position he has held since January 1, 2019, following an illustrious career spanning over three decades in academic medicine. He received his medical education at the University of Vienna in Austria and Johannes-Gutenberg-University in Mainz, Germany, graduating with his Doctor of Medicine in 1976 before completing postgraduate training at the Free University of Berlin and University of Mainz. He attained the position of Professor of Medicine at the University of Mainz in 1986 and subsequently served as Director of the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology at Hannover Medical School from 1991 to 2020, establishing himself as a preeminent leader in digestive diseases research. His distinguished career includes significant leadership roles such as Clinical Director of the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research from 2015 to 2018 and membership on the Scientific Panel for Health of the European Commission from 2015 to 2020.
Professor Manns has pioneered groundbreaking research in liver diseases with a primary focus on viral hepatitis, autoimmune liver conditions, hepatocellular carcinoma, liver transplantation, regenerative medicine and cell therapy, significantly advancing therapeutic approaches for millions of patients worldwide. As founder and Chairman of Hep-Net, Germany's national network of competence on viral hepatitis, and the German Liver Foundation, he has coordinated nationwide research efforts that have directly influenced clinical practice guidelines and treatment protocols across Europe. With over 1,000 publications in prestigious journals including The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, Nature, Nature Medicine, Cell, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, his research has achieved an impressive h-index exceeding 140 according to Web of Science, placing him consistently among the top 1% of most cited researchers globally since 2014 as recognized by Thomson Reuters/Clarivate Analytics. His seminal work on compensated recurrent hepatitis C virus infection after liver transplantation published in Gastroenterology in 2015 represents one of the many high-impact contributions that have transformed the field of hepatology.
Beyond his research contributions, Professor Manns has provided transformative leadership as former President of the German Society of Gastroenterology, the German Association for the Study of the Liver, the German Society of Internal Medicine and United European Gastroenterology, shaping the direction of these organizations through his vision and expertise. His influence extends internationally through his active participation in global research networks and his commitment to advancing infection medicine and personalized treatment approaches for liver diseases. Currently, he continues to spearhead innovative research in regenerative medicine while guiding Hannover Medical School's strategic vision for medical education, research excellence and international collaboration in the 21st century. His ongoing dedication to mentoring the next generation of hepatologists and fostering interdisciplinary approaches ensures his enduring impact on both clinical practice and scientific discovery in digestive diseases for years to come.
