Valentin Schäfer

Prof. Valentin Schäfer is a Professor and Head of the Section for Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at the Medical Clinic III, University Hospital Bonn. He also leads the Ultrasound Diagnostics Department and chairs the Center for Rare Rheumatological Diseases. With a dissertation from Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (summa cum laude), he has held positions at Universities of Erlangen, Regensburg, Berlin, and Mainz. He conducted research at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, USA, and earned his venia legendi in 2019. His work focuses on rheumatological imaging, vasculitis microbiome studies, and novel diagnostic methods. Notably awarded the Rudolf-Schoen-Preis in 2020, his research bridges clinical practice and advanced imaging techniques.

• Education: Doctorate (Erlangen-Nürnberg), Clinical Training (Berlin, Mainz)
• Affiliations: University Hospital Bonn, German Society for Rheumatology

Research Interests: Innovations in musculoskeletal ultrasound, microbiome role in large-vessel vasculitis, and molecular imaging applications. Recent studies include defining ultrasound criteria for giant cell arteritis and evaluating DFS70 antibodies in connective tissue diseases.

Leadership: Oversees imaging and rare disease centers, contributing to OMERACT international standards. Active in collaborative projects like the PsoSone study on psoriatic arthritis screening.