| 1979-1986 | Medical School, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich |
| 1986 | Doctoral thesis, University Eye Hospital, Munich |
| Internal rotation in Ophthalmic Pathology Howe Laboratory, Harvard Medical School, Mass. Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA |
| 1986-1987 | Research Fellow, Institute of Immunology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich |
| 1987-1990 | Resident in Ophthalmology, University Eye Hospital, Munich |
| 1990-1992 | Research Fellow in Photomedicine, Wellman Laboratories, Mass. General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA |
| 1991-1992 | Research Fellow in Ophthalmology, Retina-Department, Massachusetts Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA |
| 1992-1993 | Clinical Fellow in Medical Retina, University Eye Hospital, Medical University of Lübeck |
| 1992-2004 | Research Associate, Medical Laser Center, University of Lübeck, Germany |
| 1993-1995 | Instructor in Ophthalmology, University Eye Hospital Lübeck |
| 1996-1999 | Assistant Professor in Ophthalmology, University Eye Hospital Lübeck |
| 2000-2004 | Professor in Ophthalmology |
| since 2004 | Appointment at the University of Vienna, Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology |
| 2008 | Visiting Professorship: Mc Gill University / Montreal / Canada |
| since 2009 | Lecturer, ESASO - European School for Advanced Studies in Ophthalmology, Lugano |
| Lecturer, PhD-Program at CeMM, Center for Molecular Medicine, Academy of Sciences, Vienna |
| since 2010 | Elected member of the Senate, MUW - Medical University of Vienna |
| 1960-1966 | Studies in German and English literature and philosophy, University of Vienna |
| 1966 | Master of philosophy, University of Vienna |
| 1967-1968 | German language teacher in England |
| 1968-1972 | Editor, Foreign Affairs desk, Vienna daily «Die Presse» |
| 1972-1993 | Cultural editor and vice editor-in-chief, Austrian news magazine «profil» |
| 1988-1996 | Cultural correspondent in Vienna, «Süddeutsche Zeitung», Munich |
| 1993-1996 | Freelancing contributor to various German and Swiss dailies and weeklies |
| 1987-2000 | Permanent member, German TV-Show «Das Literarische Quartett», ZDF |
| 1996-1999 | Cultural chief-of-staff, Hamburg weekly «Die Zeit» |
| 2000-2008 | Founder and editor-in-chief, literary monthly magazine «Literaturen» in Berlin |
| since 2008 | Freelancing literary critic for various German and Austrian media and moderator of literary events in Germany, Austria and Switzerland |
| | Guest lecturer at various universities in Germany, USA and Israel |
| 2010 | Honorary doctor degree, University of Bielefeld |
