Birgit Ertl-Wagner

Dr. Ertl-Wagner was named Radiologist-in-Chief in 2023 and holds the Derek Harwood-Nash Chair for Medical Imaging and is Chief of the Division of Neuroradiology in the Department of Diagnostic Imaging. She is also a Senior Associate Scientist in the Neurosciences & Mental Health Program at SickKids Research Institute. Dr, Ertl-Wagner is a Full Professor and Vice-Chair of Research in the University of Toronto’s Department of Medical Imaging. 

Dr. Ertl-Wagner did her residency and fellowship training in the fields of neuroradiology, neurology and radiology at the University Hospitals of Heidelberg, Marburg and Munich. Following Board certification in Radiology and a Certificate of Added Qualification in Neuroradiology, she joined the staff at the Department of Radiology of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, where she was section chief of magnetic resonance imaging, vice-chair of operations and professor of clinical and experimental magnetic resonance imaging. In addition, she led the areas of pediatric neuroradiology and head and neck imaging.

Dr. Ertl-Wagner´s research is characterized by a highly interdisciplinary and collaborative approach with a focus on translation between basic science and clinical neuroimaging research. She has worked with a broad spectrum of methodological approaches, including phase contrast imaging, functional MR imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, MR spectroscopy and various perfusion techniques. She is on the editorial board of and reviewer for various scientific journals as well as grant funding agencies. She has received numerous awards including the Therese von Bayern Award for scientific excellence, the Marie-Curie-Ring of the German Radiological Society, and the Felix- and Eugenie-Wachsmann-Award of the German Radiological Society.

Research

Dr. Ertl-Wagner’s main research areas are translational imaging-based research, bridging the gap between basic science innovations and clinical medicine, and the field of machine learning and artificial intelligence in medical imaging.

Her research career and research interests have been decisively influenced by several components including:

• Research experience both in basic science and in clinical study settings as a basis for a translation between preclinical and clinical research;
• Interdisciplinary teamwork in a productive group of physicians, physicists, neuropsychologists, biologists and computer scientists;
• A broad range of methodological competences enabling a combination of different methodological approaches to answer research questions;
• Scientific and clinical expertise both for neuroradiological and body questions, allowing for a translation of different methodologies and strategies;
• Research and clinical experience covering a very broad age range from the fetus to the aging brain evaluating normal and abnormal processes of development and aging;
• Experience with various methodologies for MR- and CT-based tissue characterization and with functional and multimodal methods of response assessment to therapeutic approaches;
• Interdisciplinary approaches to machine-based learning and artificial intelligence.

Education and experience

• 1989–1996: MD, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich (LMU), Munich, Germany
• 1992–1999: PhD, “Interactions between human astrocytes and a myelin-specific immune-reaction as a model of lesion confinement in Multiple Sclerosis”. Department of Neuroimmunology, Max-Planck-Institute Martinsried and Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Germany. Summa Cum Laude.
• 2008–2010: Masters of Health Business Administration (M.H.B.A), (Grade: very good), Faculty of Economics, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
• 1996–1998: Residency training in Neuroradiology, Department of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University, Germany 
• 1998–1999: Residency training in Neurology, Department of Neurology, University of Marburg, Germany
• 1999–2002: Residency training in Radiology, Institute of Clinical Radiology, Klinikum Grosshadern, LMU  University of Munich, Germany
• 2001: Research Fellowship, Fellow of the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN), Centre for Statistical Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, & the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
• 2004–2005: Fellowship training in Neuroradiology, Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum
• 2005–2009: Section Chief of Teleradiology, Institute of Clinical Radiology, Klinikum Grosshadern, LMU University of Munich, Germany
• 2006–2008: Head of Quality Management of the Institute of Clinical Radiology, Klinikum Grosshadern, LMU University of Munich, Germany
• 2008–2009: Research Consultant to the Dean, Medical Faculty of LMU University of Munich, Germany
• 2009–2018: Chief of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Institute of Clinical Radiology, Klinikum Grosshadern, LMU University of Munich, Germany
• 2011–2012: Außerplanmäßiger Professor, Medical Faculty of the LMU University of Munich, Germany
• 2012–2013: Editorial Fellowship, William R. Eyler Fellow of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), Boston, MA, USA.  
• 2012–2018: Professor (W2), Medical Faculty of the LMU University of Munich, Germany
• 2014–2018: Executive Staff Physician (Vice Chair), Institute of Clinical Radiology, Klinikum Grosshadern, LMU University of Munich, Germany
• 2017–2018: Chief of Oncologic Imaging, Department of Radiology, Klinikum Grosshadern, LMU University of Munich, Germany
• 2018–Present: Professor, Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2018–Present: Derek Harwood-Nash Chair in Medical Imaging, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2018–Present: Division Chief, Neuroradiology, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2019–Present: Neuroradiology Fellowship Research Coordinator, Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2019–Present: Senior Associate Scientist, Neurosciences & Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2019–Present: Vice Chair of Research, Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Achievements

• 2011: Medal of Honor, Finnish Radiological Society 
• 2013: Therese von Bayern Award for Scientific Excellence, Therese von Bayern Foundation 
• 2013: Felix-and Eugenie-Wachsmann-Award, German Radiological Society  
• 2014: Mentor of the Year, Medical Faculty of the LMU University of Munich, Germany 
• 2015: Henry M. Selby Lecture Award, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA 
• 2016: Marie Curie Ring, German Radiological Society 
• 2019: JACR Silver Medal in Manuscript Review, Journal of the American College of Radiology 

Relevant pages