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This technical web entry (check the mission statement) belongs to me, Wolf Schweitzer.
I am a Swiss board certified Forensic Pathologist (Rechtsmediziner FMH), and I am currently also working on a project entailing noninvasive scanning methods at the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the University of Zuerich, Switzerland. Board certification in 2001 (FMH, Switzerland), doctorate 1994 (Medical Faculty, University of Zurich). I worked in pathology (1995-1997, Institute of Pathology, Cantonal Hospital Thurgau, Muensterlingen), medicine and surgery (1994-1995, Ospidal Scuol d’Engiadina Bassa) and forensic medicine (1992-1993, and from 2002 until now, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich; 1997-1998, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Melbourne, Australia; 1998-2002, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern).
In 1993, I had suggested a range of what then appeared to be relevant research subjects to the director of the Institute of Legal Medicine in Zurich, and we discussed these subjects, and determined then, that post mortem imaging based on radiological slice image 3D scan methods were the path to take for me, and it was agreed upon this subject [written memorandum]. In-depth research work was conducted at the Institute of Pathology at the Kantonsspital Muensterlingen, Switzerland (2 years, 1995 to 1997; research topics: Myocardial pathology after TMLR (Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization); cardiac conduction system of infants that had died an apparently sudden death). With that, grant funding was obtained. After that, based on that research and based on what we had discussed and agreed on earlier, I obtained two research grants to go to the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Melbourne, Australia (“MRI scans of post mortem hearts”; Grants: Ciba Geigy Jubilaeumsstiftung and Schweizerischer Nationalfonds, 1 year, (1997-1998). After that, I worked at the Institut fuer Rechtsmedizin Bern, Switzerland (“Digital Autopsy”; Grant: Gebert-Ruef-Stiftung, about 2 years, 2000-2001). Radiological post mortem slice imaging as idea then was quickly adopted by an increasingly large number of people, who all made it their own, in part under various brand names and research / application focus.
Research grants include funding by Ciba Geigy Jubilaeumsstiftung and Swiss National Research Foundation (both 1997-1998, sole applicant; post mortem heart MRI, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine 1997/8) and Gebert Ruef Stiftung (2000-2002, co-applicant; Virtopsy® Project). Co-applicant and investigator in a KTI-project (2018-2023; dedicated micro CT scanner with post mortem angiography technique for small vasculatures (fetuses, newborns) development) with Lars Ebert and external project partners (among others: EMPA, Scanco Medical, University Hospital Zurich). Research poster prizes 2002 (German Society of Legal Medicine; cardiac conduction system study) and 2009 (International Academy of Legal Medicine; visualisation of skull fractures).
In 2017, a cooperation project with the Knowledge Visualization Department (Niklaus Heeb) at ZHDK (Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Zurich University of Arts) resulted supervising the Bachelor of Arts diploma of Eloisa Aldomar, upon which she was awarded the 2017 Förderpreis (advancement award) by the ZHDK directors. I also supervised her Master thesis. In 2021, Eloisa Aldomar, in cooperation with me, won the first prize of the Swiss National Foundation Scientific Image Competition in the category of “Object of study”.
In 2015 I was tasked with teaching the “Virtopsy® Course”and then practically implement a curriculum to put a Certificate of Advanced Studies course, the CAS Forensic Imaging & Virtopsy®, into practice, which I did for 2016 through 2026.
Papers cf. Google Scholar. Professional interests cover routine and research in post mortem imaging, application of statistical methods, research and routine application of visualization methods and some aspects of quality management.
My training includes Forensic Medicine (Institut fuer Rechtsmedizin Zuerich, Switzerland; Institut fuer Rechtsmedizin Bern, Switzerland; Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Melbourne, Australia), Pathology (Institut fuer Pathologie, Kantonsspital Muensterlingen, Switzerland) and Clinical Medicine and Surgery (Ospidal d’Engiadina Bassa, Scuol, Switzerland).
While my family paternally (‘Schweitzer’) originates from the Alsace, I grew up a bit in Alabama, USA, in Bavaria, Germany and in Greater Zurich area, Switzerland. My early German was picked up in Unterpfaffenhofen out of Munich. My Swiss German dialect ranges around Zueriduetsch. If you are not sure about yours, you can have it checked at http://dialects.from.ch.
I have not given up guitar play and still care about playing; check out some recent examples of bluegrass picking, or a cooked up blues piece also in this recent example.
As life goes on, we get older – but what does not kill you may make you stranger. How about writing up something new on Propellerheads’ Reason or some one-handed-/left-handed guitar play or, seriously brainwashed, one-handed/left-handed bass play (it does pay to use good audio equipment for that one). How about re-inventing function and looks of what can be built and sold as a prosthetic arm to suit the purpose. And ultimately, how about getting back to bike riding. Besides, I also like to go for a bit of a swim every now and then. Developing own prosthetic arm parts for on-call forensic work led to own user-initiated innovations (https://jneuroengrehab.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12984-017-0340-0). Swiss public disability insurance (IV) supports the effective build.
You may preferably reach me via E-mail to wuff at swisswuff dot ch.
