Eberhart Zrenner

Prof. Eberhart Zrenner is a Senior Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Tübingen's Institute for Ophthalmic Research, part of the Centre for Ophthalmology. His research focuses on retinal physiology/pathophysiology, neuro-ophthalmology, and retinal prosthesis development. He pioneered the electronic subretinal prosthesis and led the first gene therapy trial for achromatopsia. He holds two honorary doctoral degrees and has published over 600 peer-reviewed papers with an h-index of 86.

Education: MD from Technical University of Munich (1972), followed by postdoctoral work at the Max-Planck-Institute and NIH. Founded the Institute for Ophthalmic Research (1989) and directed it until 2018. Current roles include leadership in the Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience.

Research interests span inherited retinal dystrophies, gene therapy, and clinical diagnostics. Key innovations include the 1600-pixel subretinal prosthesis and gene therapy applications. His lab collaborates with molecular genetics and clinical teams to advance therapeutic strategies.

Awards and grants: Multiple national/international grants, 66 patents on ophthalmic devices, and leadership in EU-funded trials. His work bridges basic science and clinical applications, emphasizing patient care and translational research.