Thorsten Kingreen

Prof. Dr. Thorsten Kingreen is a full Professor and Chair of Public Law, Social Law, and Health Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Regensburg. He is a leading expert in German constitutional, administrative, and health law, with a strong focus on statutory health insurance, hospital financing reform, and fundamental rights.

Education:

• Doctorate in Law (Dr. iur.), University of Regensburg
• Habilitation in Public Law, Social Law, and Health Law
• Staatsexamen (German First and Second State Law Examinations)

His research interests span Public Law, Social Law, Health Law, Constitutional Law, Fundamental Rights, and Police and Regulatory Law. He is renowned for his authoritative commentaries on the German Social Code (SGB V), his co-authorship of the seminal textbook "Grundrechte. Staatsrecht II" (now in its 40th edition), and his leadership in major health law reforms. His work on the legal aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including co-editing the "Handbook of Infection Control Law," has been particularly influential.

The recent publications reflect a sustained and dominant focus on health law reform, constitutional interpretation, and public administration. His work consistently addresses the intersection of legal doctrine, social policy, and practical governance, particularly in the areas of healthcare financing, drug pricing, and the integration of ambulatory and inpatient care. He is a prolific scholar, contributing both comprehensive legal commentaries and timely analyses of current constitutional debates.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Elected as a full member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities (Section II: Law, Social and Economic Sciences) in 2025.
• Repeatedly awarded for excellence in teaching, recognized as having the "Best Teaching Course" at the Faculty of Law of the University of Regensburg on multiple occasions (e.g., Winter 2023/24, Summer 2020).

Advising and Grants:

Prof. Kingreen has supervised several doctoral candidates, including Edoardo D'Alfonso Masarié and Anna Käsbauer, both of whom received prestigious awards for their dissertations. He has been the principal investigator for significant research projects, including a DFG-funded project on health data protection law, which was granted an extension due to its success. His expertise is in high demand for public policy, and he has served on numerous high-level government commissions, such as the Government Commission for Modern and Needs-Based Hospital Care and the Commission for the Evaluation of the Infection Protection Act, where his work has directly informed national legislation like the Hospital Care Improvement Act (KHVVG).

Labs, Teams, and Research Groups:

He leads the Chair of Public Law, Social Law, and Health Law at the University of Regensburg. He has collaborated extensively with Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kühling on research projects concerning health data protection and the reform of the dual health insurance system. He also co-organizes annual seminars on constitutional, health, and European law with colleagues from the University of Erlangen.