Senior Faculty
Christian S. Betz, MD, PhD
Having acquired his medical degree at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany, Dr. Betz received his specialty training at Munich University Hospital. Following a fellowship in Maxillofacial Surgery at University College London Hospital in London, UK, and in head & neck surgery at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, Australia, Dr. Betz has been faculty member at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Munich University Hospital until 2017, when he took the position as vice chair at the ENT Department at Tubingen University Hospital. Since 2018, he is chair and clinical head of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). Dr. Betz’s primary clinical interests are head and neck surgery, paranasal sinus surgery and anterior skull base surgery. Dr. Betz is actively involved in numerous scientific activities, including his role in initiating and leading a research group at UKE on “Innovative Optical Diagnostics”, and he’s received several national grants for research purposes.
Mark Praetorius, MD, PhD
Dr. Praetorius attended medical school at Freiburg University, Germany. He completed his residency in Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Saarland Medical Center. He is board certified in Otolaryngology/Head-&-Neck Surgery. For 15 years, he was head of the Division of Otology at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the University of Heidelberg Medical Center. Dr. Praetorius is Professor for clinical and scientific otology at the University of Hamburg Medical Center (UKE), and served as co-chair of the department. He is particularly interested in restoration of hearing and balance functions. Dr. Praetorius has co-authored more than 70 publications in peer reviewed medical journals.
Arne Böttcher, MD, PhD
Having acquired his medical degree at the University of Rostock, Germany, Dr. Böttcher undertook his specialty training at the University Medical Centers of Rostock (“Otto Körner Clinic”) and Hamburg (UKE). Following a three-year period at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin as a consultant where he was awarded with the “Otto-Körner-Preis”, he joined the faculty at the ORL department of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) in 2016. Scientific projects include clinical studies on hypoglossal nerve stimulation, neck dissection for laryngectomy, and laryngeal voice restoration. Dr. Böttcher’s main clinical interests are obstructive sleep apnea and head and neck surgery.
Markus Hess, MD, PhD
Markus Hess, MD, otolaryngologist and phoniatrician, specialized in laryngology, phonosurgery, and professional voice disorders. Head of the first Voice Clinic in Germany (MEDICAL VOICE CENTER), chairman of PEVOC, founder of the European Academy of Voice (EAV), past president CoMeT, founder of the German Society of Phonosurgery, president of the International Association of Transvoice Surgeons (IATVS). Introduction of the blue laser to laryngology. Long-standing experience in minimally invasive phonomicrosurgery and office-based surgery. Presentations, workshops, and instructional courses at international conferences. Memberships on various editorial boards and scientific committees. Authorship of over a hundred peer-reviewed articles in professional journals and textbooks.
Anna Sophie Hoffmann, MD
Dr. Anna S. Hoffmann is a Senior Consultant in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), specializing in rhinology and skull base surgery. She serves as Chair of the ARHIN working group within the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (DGHNO). Her academic and clinical work focuses on chronic rhinosinusitis and advanced endoscopic skull base techniques. Dr. Hoffmann is an active speaker at national and international conferences.
Rupert Stadlhofer, MD
Having acquired his medical degree at the Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria, Dr. Stadlhofer began his specialty training at the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at University Hospital Salzburg, Austria. After two years, Dr. Stadlhofer moved to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at University Hospital in Hamburg (UKE), where he finished his specialty training in 2021 and joined the faculty. Here he focuses on rhinologic surgery including minimally invasive endoscopic nasal and sinus surgery as well es rhinoplasty. Furthermore, Dr. Stadlhofer is actively involved in the research group “Innovative Optical Diagnostics”.
Lukas Wittig, MD
Lukas Wittig earned his medical degree at the University of Luebeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany followed by his specialty training at the University Hospital Essen and University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). After completion of a fellowship in head and neck and reconstructive surgery at the Gold Coast University Hospital, Australia 2024 he joined the senior faculty at the UKE.
His primary clinical interests are head and neck and reconstructive surgery as well as robotic surgery. He is a console surgeon for the DaVinci Single Port. Furthermore, he is actively involved in the research group “Innovative Optical Diagnostics”.
Henrike Zech, MD
Dr. Henrike Zech completed her medical studies at the University Medical Center Lübeck. Her clinical focus is on head and neck oncology, with a particular emphasis on medical tumor therapy and clinical trials. She has received several clinician-scientist fellowships, including the Mildred Scheel Fellowship, to advance translational medicine through -omics technologies and patient-derived avatars. Dr. Zech is actively involved in regional and national committees, including the UKE`s doctoral committee for medical students and the prevention task force of the German Oncology society (DGHO).
Junior Faculty (Fachärzte und Assistenzärzte):
Tabita Breitsprecher, MD
Dr. Breitsprecher acquired her medical degree at the University of Rostock, Germany. She performed half of her specialty training at the University Medical Center Bochum before joining the ORL department of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) in 2023. She is expected to pursue specialization in April 2026. Scientific projects include clinical studies on individualized cochlear implant surgery and music rehabilitation in CI candidates.
Lisa Budelmann, MD
Dr. Lisa Budelmann earned her medical degree from the University of Hamburg, Germany. She is currently in her fifth year of residency at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). Her academic work focuses on medical education, with particular interest in curriculum development and competency-based training. She is completing the final stages of her Master of Medical Education. Since 2023, Dr. Budelmann has served as the spokesperson of Junge HNO, the young professionals’ working group within the German Society of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, where she advocates for structured training, professional development, and innovation in ENT education.
David Gaerter, MD
After studying medicine in Munich, Dr. Gaertner began and completed his specialist training at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. He has successfully established and is heading our thyroid surgery group within the department for the last three years. In his free time, he enjoys sailing.
Aline Mathieu, MD
Following the successful graduation from Hamburg University Medical School, Dr. Mathieu trained at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf starting in 2017. After that, she joined the staff of the department with a focus on otologic surgery.
Friederike Meyer, MD
Having acquired her medical degree at the Georg-August- University Göttingen, Germany, Dr. Meyer began her specialty training at the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at the University Hospital in Hamburg (UKE) in 2022.
Scientific projects include clinical studies on screening-concepts for HPV-related head and neck cancer as well as HPV-prevention.
Dr. Meyers main clinical interests are head and neck surgery and obstructive sleep apnea.
Cristian Trache, MD
After receiving his medical degree at the University of Heidelberg in southern Germany, Dr. Trache moved north to complete his residency training at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). He is now a board-certified Otolaryngology specialist with broad clinical and academic interests including otology, head and neck and thyroid surgery. Outside work hours, Dr. Trache spends his time in the mountains or kitesurfing.