Professor Dr. Stefan Georg Hofmann is a world-renowned clinical psychologist and Alexander von Humboldt Professor at Philipps-Universität Marburg, where he holds a LOEWE Top Professorship in Translational Clinical Psychology. After earning his doctorate from Philipps-Universität Marburg in 1993, he established a distinguished academic career that included significant positions at universities in Göttingen, Dresden, and Stanford, followed by a long tenure at Boston University where he directed the Psychotherapy and Emotion Research Laboratory since 1996. His return to Germany in 2021 marked a strategic homecoming to strengthen Marburg's research profile in psychology, bringing with him international recognition as one of the field's most influential figures. Hofmann currently leads the development of a Center for Translational Clinical Psychology at Marburg, serving as a pivotal bridge between neuroscience research and clinical practice.
Hofmann's groundbreaking research integrates neuroscience with clinical psychology to transform the understanding and treatment of anxiety disorders and depression, with his work fundamentally reshaping modern cognitive behavioral therapy approaches. His investigations into the neural mechanisms underlying anxiety disorders have made critical connections between brain processes and therapeutic outcomes, while his innovative research demonstrated how the antibiotic D-Cycloserine can enhance exposure therapy for social phobias. The professor has pioneered significant contributions to mindfulness-based interventions and emotion regulation research, particularly advancing the understanding of interpersonal emotion regulation in therapeutic contexts. With over 400 scientific publications and 20 authoritative books, his work has established new paradigms in psychological treatment, including his current development of process-based therapy in collaboration with leading experts in the field.
As Editor-in-Chief of Cognitive Therapy and Research since 2012, Hofmann has shaped scholarly discourse in clinical psychology while maintaining his position as one of the most highly cited researchers in his discipline, consistently recognized in Clarivate's Highly Cited Researchers list since 2016. His leadership extends to the research cluster 'the adaptive mind' at Marburg, where he mentors the next generation of psychological scientists while advancing translational research initiatives. The professor's work has earned him prestigious recognition including the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship, Germany's highest international science award, and a major LOEWE grant totaling 2.5 million euros to establish translational research infrastructure. Looking forward, Hofmann continues to drive innovation at the intersection of neuroscience and clinical practice, with his ongoing research focusing on biomarker development through neuroimaging to predict therapeutic outcomes and personalize psychological treatments for greater efficacy.
