2010	Habilitation in „Internal Medicine“ at University of Witten/ Herdecke
2009	Hans-Christian-Hagedorn Projektförderung of the German Diabetes Association (DDG)
Since 2009	Faculty Member, Medical School, University Witten/Herdecke
2007	Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC)
2007	Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC)
Since 2007	„Director of Cardiometabolic Research“, Profil
2006	Board Certification Cardiology
2005 - 2006	Staff Physician, Department of Cardiology, Pneumology and Angiology of the Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf
2005	Board certification Internal Medicine
2001 - 2004	Fellow, Department of Cardiology, Pneumology and Angiology of the Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf
1999 - 2000	Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the Texas Heart Institute/ University of Texas Medical School (Prof. J.T. Willerson, Prof. D.Engler) sponsored by a DFG grant (“Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft”)
1999	Jühling Doktorandenpreis (best PhD thesis in Diabetes and related diseases) Heinrich-Heine-Universität and Deutsches Diabetes Forschungsinstitut Düsseldorf
1997/1998	Internship and Residency, Department of Internal Medicine, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf

Active member of various professional organisations related to cardiovascular disease, including AHA, ACC, EASD, and German Cardiac Society.

Regular reviewer for a variety of journals including, among others, Journal of Internal Medicine, Stroke, Diabetologia, Thrombosis and Hemostasis, and Circulation.