Councellor: Oliver Distler

PD Dr. med. Oliver Wilhelm Christoph Distler, Center of Experimental Rheumatology, WHO Collaborating Center for Molecular Biology and Novel Therapeutic Strategies for Rheumatic Diseases

University Undergraduate Education 1989-1996

Preclinical and Clinical Studies at the University of Erlangen, Germany; Basel, Switzerland; and Duke University, Durham, USA

Professional Education

• 1996-2004: Clinical Education and Fellowship Training in Molecular Biology at the Department of Internal Medicine II, Bamberg, Germany  (Prof. Dr. H.J. Weiss); at the Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Regensburg, Germany (Prof. Dr. H. Schölmerich); at the Center of Experimental Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland (Prof. Dr. S. Gay); at the Department of Rheumatology  University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland (Prof. Dr. B.A. Michel), and at the Department of Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland; (Prof. Dr. A. Fontana);
• 2004: Specialization in Internal Medicine;
• 2005: Habilitation (Venia legendi) for Rheumatology;
• 2006: Specialization in Rheumatology, Attending Physician (Oberarzt) and Senior Research Group leader at the Department of Rheumatology and Center of Experimental Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich; Head outpatient clinic for connective tissue diseases;
• 2009: Senior Attending Physician (Leitender Arzt), head clinic for connective tissue diseases and vasculitis at the Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich

Awards

Pfizer research Award, Zurich 2009; Warnery Award of the Swiss Society for Rheumatology, Davos 2005; European Workshop of Rheumatology Research Award, Glasgow 2005; ACR/EULAR Exchange Award, San Antonio 2004; Abbott Award Basic Science, Bern 2003; European Young Investigators Award, Leiden 2002; Fellowship Award Japanese Rheumatism Association, Tokyo 2001, Symposium Award, International Meeting for Scleroderma, Oxford 2000

Editorships

Associate Editor for systemic sclerosis at "Arthritis & Rheumatism", Editorial Board "Rheumatology", Editorial Board "Current Rheumatology Reports", Advisory Editor "Joint Bone Spine", Editorial Board "Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology", Fachbeirat "Zeitschrift für Rheumatologie", Associate Editor "Journal of Biological Sciences", Advisory Board for CIAOMed.org, Co-Editor "MedActuell Rheumatologie", Head Basic Science Working Group of EUSTAR-EULAR (European Scleroderma Trial and Research organization), Executive Editor www.jointandbone.org/GARN, Faculty Member F1000 Medicine, Scientific Secretary of OMERACT-EPOSS (Expert Panel on Outcome Measures in PAH related to Systemic Sclerosis)