Rita Schmutzler

Dr Schmutzler received her MD degree from the University of Bonn, Germany in 1984 and passed the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in the Medical Sciences (FMGEMS) and the Federal Licensing Examination (FLEX) USA in 1985 and 1988. From 1985 to 1992 she completed her OB &GYN specialist training at the Dept. OB &GYN of the University Hospital of Bonn. During this time she spent two research fellowships at the Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA in 1985 supported the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Mount Sinai Medical Hospital, NY in 1990 to 1991 supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG). After maternity leave she was granted a “Habilitation” fellowship of the DFG from 1994-1997. Since 1995 she built up a familial breast and ovarian cancer center supported by the German Cancer Aid (DKH). In 2003 she was appointed a full professorship at the University of Cologne heading the conjoint Cologne/Bonn Center.for familial breast and ovarian cancer. Since 2005 she is the coordinator of the German consortium of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (GC-HBOC) that comprises 15 university-based centers and is responsible applicant for the continuous support by DKH. She got numerous awards including the Walter-Hohlweg Award of the German Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (DGGG), the Gunther-Bastert- Innovation Award of the DGGG and the Ingrid-zu-Solms Award of the German women doctors alliance. She serves as a member in numerous boards including the committee of experts of the DKH and the DFG, the committee on the genetic diagnostic act at the Robert-Koch-Institute, the ethics committee at the German medical association and is head of the working group on hereditary tumors of the German Cancer Society.