Dr. Gerd Fabian Volk | Cognitive Rehabilitation | Outstanding Scientist Award
apl. Prof. Dr. med. habil. Gerd Fabian Volk (š¶1978, Wertheim am Main) is a leading German otolaryngologist šØāāļø, currently serving as Senior Physician and Head of the Facial Nerve Center in Jena š„. With a deep commitment to clinical excellence, academic teaching š, and innovative research š§Ŗ, he has significantly contributed to the fields of neurolaryngology, facial nerve disorders, and ultrasound diagnostics š§ š£ļø. His work bridges cutting-edge imaging š¼ļø and functional diagnostics for head-neck disorders. Living in Jena with his family šØāš©āš§āš§, he actively supports patient education through YouTube š¹, coordinates national workshops, and advocates for interdisciplinary collaboration š¤. Volk is a respected speaker š¤, faculty member at international dissection courses āļøš§ , and an initiator of hybrid symposia. He balances leadership with education, translating research into real-world clinical impact šš”.
Profile
Education š
Studied human medicine at WestfƤlische Wilhelms UniversitƤt Münster (1999ā2006) šš©ŗ, earning his state exam. In 2007, he completed his doctorate (Dr. med.) with a thesis on axonal regeneration in retinal ganglion cells in primates and rats š§¬šš. He achieved board certification in ENT (2012) ššš§ and earned his postdoctoral qualification (habilitation) in 2017 with pioneering research on quantitative imaging of facial muscles š¼ļøšŖ. His venia legendi was granted by Friedrich Schiller University Jena in otorhinolaryngology ššØāš«. Further qualifications include DEGUM Level II (2018) for ultrasound, clinical trial leadership certification (2009), animal research leadership certification (2002), and interdisciplinary leadership training at UKJ š š. His broad educational background underpins his medical, scientific, and didactic work, combining clinical care, diagnostics, and teaching for the next generation of ENT specialists šØāāļøš©āāļøšØāš«.
Experience šØāš«
Since 2013, Dr. Volk leads the Facial Nerve Center in Jena and co-founded the Tinnitus Center šØāāļøš. He is currently Senior Physician at the ENT Department, University Hospital Jena and member of the steering committee for the Center for Rare Diseases Jena (since 2024) š§©š§¬. He previously held rotational research fellowships in radiology and neurology (2008ā2013) and has organized national ENT courses since 2009 š§ š. With consistent academic teaching since 2012, he has led cadaver dissection courses, neurolaryngology workshops, and ultrasound diagnostics trainings š§āš«š». He is an active contributor to ethics commissions and rare disease networks š„āļø. His work merges clinical ENT practice, surgical skill, and educational outreach through digital platforms (e.g., YouTube, www.lemg.org) šš¹. A devoted mentor, he organizes monthly PhD symposia and integrates hybrid teaching formats, balancing high-level medical care with forward-thinking academic initiatives šš„šÆ.
Awards & Recognitions š
Recipient of multiple national prizes, including the 1st Poster Prize by the German Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (2019) š„š for Parkinson-related facial muscle imaging, and the DEGUM Head-Neck Section Award for his habilitation research (2018) š§ š . Awarded competitive IZKF research fellowships in neurology and radiology (2008ā2013) š§¬š¬. Recognized leader in rare disease diagnostics and member of Germanyās CRANIO-Net for rare craniofacial disorders (since 2022) š§©š¶. Since 2020, he contributes to the Ethics Commission of the University Hospital Jena āļø. He is speaker for ENT indications in the Botulinumtoxin Working Group of the German Society of Neurology (since 2022) šš§ . Nominated for professorial posts in Bielefeld, Halle, and CharitĆ© Berlin between 2019ā2023 šļøš. Volkās sustained excellence across clinical care, diagnostics, research, and education has earned him national recognition and leadership roles in academic ENT medicine š§ š„āØ.
Research Interests š¬
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Healthcare2025-03-04 |Ā Journal articleCONTRIBUTORS:Ā Isabell Hahnemann;Ā Julia Fron;Ā Jonas Ballmaier;Ā Orlando Guntinas-Lichius;Ā Gerd Fabian Volk
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2024-12-16 |Ā PreprintCONTRIBUTORS:Ā Isabell Hahnemann;Ā Julia Fron;Ā Jonas Ballmaier;Ā Orlando Guntinas-Lichius;Ā Gerd Fabian Volk
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European Journal of Translational Myology2024-11-13 |Ā Journal articleDOI:Ā 10.4081/ejtm.2024.13162CONTRIBUTORS:Ā Gabriel Meincke;Ā Johannes KrauĆ;Ā Maren Geitner;Ā Anna-Maria Kuttenreich;Ā Dirk Arnold;Ā Jonas Ballmaier;Ā Thomas Lehmann;Ā Winfried Mayr;Ā Orlando Guntinas-Lichius;Ā Gerd Fabian Volk