Prof. Dr. Franz Grus studied biology and human medicine at RWTH Aachen. In 1991, he was awarded the title of 'Dr. rer. nat.' and obtained his doctorate, becoming a 'Dr. med.' in 1994 at the Neurological Clinic of the Essen Medical School. Following five years of scientific work at the ophthalmology clinic at the University of Bonn, he relocated to the ophthalmology clinic at the University Medical Centre in Mainz in 1998. Since receiving his habilitation and Venia Legendi in 2002, he has been the head of the Experimental and Translational Ophthalmology Department at the Ophthalmology Clinic at the University Medical Centre in Mainz.