I am a Specialist in Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, and Emergency Care Medicine at the University Hospital of Ruhr University (RUB), Bergmannsheil Bochum, Germany. I completed my medical studies (RUB) and my doctoral thesis in Professor Maier's laboratory, focusing on treatment predictors in neuropathic pain using quantitative sensory testing. My residency was at the University Hospital Essen. I earned a Master of Science degree in Clinical Research (DIU, Harvard). Supported by German Research Foundation (DFG) grants, I worked as a postdoctoral fellow on itch and pain projects in Professor LaMotte’s laboratory (Yale Medical School). As Clinician Scientist and Leader of the "Anesthesiological Pain Research Group", I focus on perioperative pain research, from basic science to clinical applications. My work includes translational behavioral analyses, high-frequency ultrasound, and receptor and cytokine assessments in mice. I have identified risk factors and biomarkers for chronic pain post-surgery and pioneered nociception monitoring via pupillometry to enhance patient pain management. My epidemiological studies focus on long-term pain and dysesthesias after burn injuries and heart surgeries, addressing challenges in intensive care survivorship. I have been repeatedly elected as the representative of scientific and clinical staff in the Faculty Council and have a strong passion for teaching and mentorship, which has been recognized with several awards.