Dr. Gerd Fabian Volk | Cognitive Rehabilitation | Outstanding Scientist Award
apl. Prof. Dr. med. habil. Gerd Fabian Volk (1978, Wertheim am Main) is a leading German otolaryngologist
, currently serving as Senior Physician and Head of the Facial Nerve Center in Jena
. With a deep commitment to clinical excellence, academic teaching
, and innovative research
, he has significantly contributed to the fields of neurolaryngology, facial nerve disorders, and ultrasound diagnostics
. His work bridges cutting-edge imaging
and functional diagnostics for head-neck disorders. Living in Jena with his family
, he actively supports patient education through YouTube
, coordinates national workshops, and advocates for interdisciplinary collaboration
. Volk is a respected speaker
, faculty member at international dissection courses
, and an initiator of hybrid symposia. He balances leadership with education, translating research into real-world clinical impact
.
Profile
Education 
Studied human medicine at Westfälische Wilhelms Universität Münster (1999–2006) , 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
. He achieved board certification in ENT (2012)
and earned his postdoctoral qualification (habilitation) in 2017 with pioneering research on quantitative imaging of facial muscles
. His venia legendi was granted by Friedrich Schiller University Jena in otorhinolaryngology
. 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
. His broad educational background underpins his medical, scientific, and didactic work, combining clinical care, diagnostics, and teaching for the next generation of ENT specialists
.
Experience 
Since 2013, Dr. Volk leads the Facial Nerve Center in Jena and co-founded the Tinnitus Center . 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)
. He previously held rotational research fellowships in radiology and neurology (2008–2013) and has organized national ENT courses since 2009
. With consistent academic teaching since 2012, he has led cadaver dissection courses, neurolaryngology workshops, and ultrasound diagnostics trainings
. He is an active contributor to ethics commissions and rare disease networks
. His work merges clinical ENT practice, surgical skill, and educational outreach through digital platforms (e.g., YouTube, www.lemg.org)
. A devoted mentor, he organizes monthly PhD symposia and integrates hybrid teaching formats, balancing high-level medical care with forward-thinking academic initiatives
.
Awards & Recognitions 
Recipient of multiple national prizes, including the 1st Poster Prize by the German Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (2019) for Parkinson-related facial muscle imaging, and the DEGUM Head-Neck Section Award for his habilitation research (2018)
. Awarded competitive IZKF research fellowships in neurology and radiology (2008–2013)
. Recognized leader in rare disease diagnostics and member of Germany’s CRANIO-Net for rare craniofacial disorders (since 2022)
. Since 2020, he contributes to the Ethics Commission of the University Hospital Jena
. He is speaker for ENT indications in the Botulinumtoxin Working Group of the German Society of Neurology (since 2022)
. Nominated for professorial posts in Bielefeld, Halle, and Charité Berlin between 2019–2023
. Volk’s sustained excellence across clinical care, diagnostics, research, and education has earned him national recognition and leadership roles in academic ENT medicine
.
Research Interests 
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Healthcare2025-03-04 | Journal articleCONTRIBUTORS: Isabell Hahnemann; Julia Fron; Jonas Ballmaier; Orlando Guntinas-Lichius; Gerd Fabian Volk
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2024-12-16 | PreprintCONTRIBUTORS: Isabell Hahnemann; Julia Fron; Jonas Ballmaier; Orlando Guntinas-Lichius; Gerd Fabian Volk
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European Journal of Translational Myology2024-11-13 | Journal articleCONTRIBUTORS: Gabriel Meincke; Johannes Krauß; Maren Geitner; Anna-Maria Kuttenreich; Dirk Arnold; Jonas Ballmaier; Thomas Lehmann; Winfried Mayr; Orlando Guntinas-Lichius; Gerd Fabian Volk