Prof. Dr. Markus Loibl
Department Spine Surgery, Schulthess Clinic Zurich
Prof. Dr. med. Markus Loibl is one of the chiefs of the department of spine surgery at Schulthess Clinic, Zurich, Switzerland. During his post-doc he investigated the use of endothelial progenitor cells to improve neovascularization in cell-based tissue regeneration in vitro and in vivo in small and large animal models. Later projects during residency focus on the interactions between autologous growth factors and mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow and adipose tissue in order to improve engraftment after stem cell transplantation. As a surgeon with a strong basic science background, he is interested in translating basic science knowledge to clinical application, with the aim to restore spinal function. Since his clinical focus is directed at degenerative changes and deformities of the spine, he engages in registry-based outcome studies with the use of the Schulthess Spine Registry with the ultimate to predict outcome after surgery. His research resulted in more than 130 peer-reviewed publications. Prof. Loibl has on-going collaborations in Germany (Regensburg: Prof. Dr. med. Siegmund Lang), Switzerland (Davos: Prof. Dr. Sibylle Grad), and the US (New York: Dr. Alex Hughes).