Myelomaeningocele diagnosis in International Neuroscience Institute Hannover

Curriculum vitae

Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h. c. Madjid Samii is the President and Founder of the International Neuroscience Institute Hannover. He also heads the Department of Adult and Pediatric Neurosurgery at the same medical facility.

The specialist received his medical education at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz (1957-1963). From 1958 to 1962, he studied to get the second degree in zoology and botany at the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz. In 1963, the doctor passed his State Medical Exam, and in 1964 he defended his doctoral thesis at the University of Mainz.

In April 1963, he began his clinical activities as Assistant Physician in the Departments of Internal Medicine and Gynecology. In March 1965, he continued his clinical training in Obstetrics and Surgery, and then worked for eight months as Assistant Physician in the Department of Neurosurgery.

From April 1965, Prof. Madjid Samii held the position of Research Fellow in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital Mainz. In 1970, the doctor had his board certification in Neurosurgery, after which he was appointed as Managing Senior Physician and as the Deputy Head of the department. In the same year, the specialist had his habilitation procedure in the field of Neurosurgery and, one year later, was appointed as Extraordinary Professor. At that time, he was responsible for the organization and conduction of the annual courses in microsurgery (until 1977).

In 1974, Prof. Samii was appointed as Academic Advisor and Professor with permanent civil service (for life). Since 1997, he has headed the Department of Neurosurgery at the Nordstadt Hospital in Hanover. In 1979, the doctor took over the organization and conduction of the annual courses on skull base surgery. In 1982, he became a Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at Harvard University in Boston. In 1983, he headed the organization and conduction of the first World Conference on Medical Telecommunications, which was attended by physicians from all over the world.

In 1986, Dr. Madjid Samii headed the Department of Neurosurgery at Leiden University in the Netherlands. From 1986 to 1988, he worked as President of the Research Group on Skull Base Surgery of the International Skull Base Society. In addition, in September 1987, Prof. Samii gave a lecture for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. At the end of 1987, the neurosurgeon accepted an invitation to hold the position in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Mainz. The next year he held the position in the Department of Neurosurgery at the Hanover Medical School. In 1988, the doctor was also awarded the Lower Saxony State Prize for his contribution to science. He was also awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his achievements in scientific research and their practical application in neurosurgery. In the same year, Dr. Samii was appointed as Honorary Professor of the Faculty of Medicine at the Military Academy in Beijing, China. He also became Professor at the University of Toronto, Canada, and Vice President of the International Skull Base Society. In 1989, Prof. Samii held the position of the President of the German Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. In addition, he was appointed as Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of California (Lifetime), Los Angeles, USA.

In 1991, Dr. Madjid Samii was a Founding Member and 1st President of the German Society for Skull Base Surgery, Founding Member and 1st President of the Neurobionics Foundation, Founding President of the AWD Children's Aid Foundation in Hanover and Honoured Guest of the North American Skull Base Society.

In 1992, he gave a lecture in Charlottesville, USA, and was also appointed as the President of the International Skull Base Society, President of the 1st International Congress for Skull Base Surgery, and held the position of Honorary Professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of the Republic in Uruguay.

In 1994, Prof. Madjid Samii became Honorary Citizen of the city of Rosario, Argentina, and was also awarded the title of Dr. h.c. of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. In addition, Madjid Samii was the Board Member of Expo 2000 exhibition in Hannover in 1995. The next year, he was elected as the First Chairman of the German Society of Neurosurgery. Since 1996, the Professor has held the position of Chief Physician of the Department of Neurosurgery at the Hanover Medical School and the Nordstadt Hospital in Hanover.

In July 1997, Dr. Madjid Samii became the President of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies until 2001. In June 1998, the neurosurgeon was awarded the "Aristotle Gold Medal" by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

In April 2000, the doctor was appointed as Honorary Professor for Neurosurgery at the University of Florida in Gainesville, USA. In 2000, he became Medical Director of the International Neuroscience Institute Hannover and was awarded the Rudolf Frey Award for excellent work in pain management. In 2001, Prof. Samii was appointed as Honorary President of the German Society for Computer- and Robot-Assisted Surgery (CURAC) and Honorary President of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies.

In 2003, the specialist received a special award – "Visiting Professor of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada with a grant of 10,000 USD". For the first time since 1960, this award has been given to a neurosurgeon from Germany and other countries of the world.

Photo of the doctor: (c) International Neuroscience Institute®