Prof. Dr. med. Barbara Wollenberg

otolaryngology, head and neck surgery, oncology and immunology, plastic-reconstructive surgery

User Score	Experience	Rating	Price Range	Publications	Media Files	Online Consultations
99%	38 years	9.9/10	$$$$	679	8	Yes

Overview

Country, City

Germany, Munich

Health facility

University Hospital Rechts der Isar Munich

Medical unit

Department of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery, plastic-reconstructive surgery

About the doctor

Prof. Dr. med. Barbara Wollenberg approaches ear, nose, and throat medicine by linking complex surgical care, tumor biology, and the body's immune response. As director of the clinic and polyclinic for otorhinolaryngology at TUM Clinic Rechts der Isar in Munich, she works across the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck diseases, with a particular focus on malignant tumors in this region. Her clinical scope also includes advanced skull base procedures, as well as functional and reconstructive surgery. A defining aspect of her work is integrating oncological treatment with a detailed understanding of how tumors interact with surrounding tissues and the immune system. This perspective is especially relevant in head and neck cancer, where treatment planning often involves balancing tumor control with the preservation of breathing, swallowing, speech, hearing, and facial function. Her expertise includes endoscopic skull base techniques, complex ear surgery and reconstructive procedures, supported by an interdisciplinary approach to challenging cases. Alongside her clinical responsibilities, the doctor remains closely involved in translational research that connects laboratory findings with practical medical decisions. Her interests include tumor immunology, molecular diagnostics, liquid biopsy, and the microbiome's influence on cancer development and treatment response.

Skills & Expertise

Gallery

04 2006 Barbara Wollenberg Dendritic Cells P1

Prof. Dr. med. Barbara Wollenberg

Resume

CV (Curriculum Vitae)

Education

1982-1988 Studied medicine at Saarland University in Saarbrücken and at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany
1982 Completed training as a nursing assistant
1982 Studied business administration at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany
1988 American educational commission for foreign medical graduates
1990 Promotion at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich: doctorate “Disseminated tumor cells in blood and bone marrow”
1994 Received specialist recognition in otorhinolaryngology
1996 Research fellowship in tumor immunology at the Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, USA
1997 Training in biological safety
1998 Qualified as an instructor for ultrasound applications in ENT, including A-mode, B-mode, and Doppler sonography, through the Bavarian Medical Association
1999 Additional qualification in allergology
1999 Postdoc qualification, habilitation “Gene therapy approaches via transfection of B7.1” at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany
2001 Additional qualifications in plastic operations and special otorhinolaryngological surgery
2002 Acquired specialist competence as a laser safety officer
2001-2003 Heisenberg fellowship from the German Research Foundation at the Helmholtz Center in Munich, Germany
2003 C4 Professor of otorhinolaryngology and head and neck surgery at the Lubeck Campus of the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
2006 Refresher course in radiation protection
2009 Additional qualification in medical tumor therapy
2010 ICH/GCP certification for clinical trials
2015 Joint European fellowship in endoscopic skull base surgery

Experience

1989–2001 Otorhinolaryngology and head and neck surgery Clinic at Großhadern Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
1996-2003 Established and headed the research group for immunological treatment approaches to head and neck malignancies at the Clinic Großhadern, Munich, Germany
2001-2003 Led the head and neck malignancies project group at the Munich Tumor Center, Germany
2003-2008 Directed the research consortium in regenerative medicine, which focused on malignant stem cells, tissue engineering, and wound healing
2002 Director and chair at the University of Lübeck, Germany
2003-2011 Vice dean of the Medical Faculty of the University of Lübeck, Germany
2004 Established a new hearing and Cochlear Implant Center at the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Germany
2007 W3 professorship and chair of otorhinolaryngology and head and neck surgery at the University of Hamburg
2009 Founded the surgical center for translational oncology in Lübeck, Germany
2015 Became chair of the Lübeck Head and Neck Tumor Center, certified by OnkoZert, and deputy chair of the Lübeck Tumor Center, Germany
2019 Director of the department of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery, and plastic-reconstructive surgery at University Hospital rechts der Isar Munich

Awards & Memberships

1992 Young Investigators Travel Award, 3rd International Head and Neck Cancer Congress, San Francisco, awarded by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
1999 Anton von Troeltsch Prize from the German Society of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery for “Immunological therapies for patients with cancers of the head and neck”
2001 Monika Kutzner Prize for cancer research from the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
2004 Georg Heberer Award for cancer research from the Chiles Foundation for “Identification and functional analysis of tumor-infiltrating plasmacytoid dendritic cells in head and neck cancer”
2006-2014 Member of the Board of Trustees and Scientific Committee of the Leibniz Research Institute Borstel
2008 Deputy head of the surgical division of the Interdisciplinary Study Group for Head and Neck Tumors of the German Cancer Society
2009-2014 Review board member of the German Research Foundation for the German Society for Ear, Nose and Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery
2012 Member of the Steering Committee of the German Study Center for Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
2012 First Broicher Prize from the German Society for Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
2012 Alexander-Karl Prize from the Head and Neck Tumor Research Foundation
2012-2014 Member of the Agency for Scientific Integrity of the Austrian Science Fund
2013 Second Broicher Prize from the German Society for Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
2013 Senator of the German Research Foundation as a representative of surgical medicine
2013 Member of the German Research Foundation Senate Committee on “Clinical Research Issues”
2013 Spokesperson for the German group of the Collegium Otorhinolaryngologicum Amicitiae Sacrum
2014 Third Broicher Prize from the German Society for Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
2014 Second Alexander-Karl Prize from the Head and Neck Tumor Research Foundation
2014 Member of the Senate Committee "Perspectives of Research" of the German
2014-2016 Deputy chair of the working group for ENT and Maxillofacial Oncology (AHMO) of the German Cancer Society
2015 Appointed corresponding member of the Austrian Society for Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
2016 Third Alexander-Karl Prize from the Head and Neck Tumor Research Foundation for work on immune-system regulation through the microbiome
2016-2017 Deputy President of the German Society for Ear, Nose and Throat Medicine, Head and Neck Surgery
2016-2018 Chair of the AHMO working group of the German Cancer Society
2017 Member of the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
2017 President of the German Society for Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Medicine
2019 Acta Prize of the Collegium Otorhinolaryngologicum Amicitiae Sacrum
2019 Awarded honorary membership of the Austrian Society for Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
2021 Member of the board of trustees of the University of Linz, Austria
2023 Member of the board of trustees of the University of Cologne, Germany
2026 Carl-Axel Hamberger Prize from the Swedish Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery