Christiane Kugler, PhD, RN Christiane Kugler was appointed as Professor in Nursing Science and Head of the Institute of Nursing Science at the University Freiburg in November 2016. I have graduated in nursing science at the Witten University, Germany and received a part of my education in Family Psychotherapy Nursing for patients and families with chronic conditions at the University of Calgary. As a fellow this the Robert Bosch foundation I completed my Postdoc in the field of symptom- and patient self-management with the symptom-management group at the University of California, San Francisco, California. The professional research and clinical training was concluded with a PhD at the Hannover Medical School, in the Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplant and Vascular Surgery. The Hannover Transplant Program belongs to one of the largest transplant centers within Europe, and represents the largest lung program worldwide. Within this program, I served within the clinical field for patients and their relatives within all stages of the process for thoracic transplantation, and supported the development of a ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation program. Clinically, responsibilities included psychosocial counselling and support, and a continuing patient education program for patients and relatives within all stages of the transplant and VAD process. RESEARCH my scholarly interests focus on patient-centered care for patients and families with chronic conditions. Specific emphasis is given the patient reported outcomes research with the development, validation, and use of psychometrically sound assessment instruments. adjunct professional activities included services as President and as International Director at the board of Directors of the International Transplant Nurses Society (ITNS) from 2007 to 2013 Grants and Awards were provided as the (first ever) “Women in Transplantation Award” for nurses by the TTS, and two “Excellence in Research Awards” by the International Heart and Lung Transplant Society (ISHLT). Grant funded included, but was not exhaustive to the German Research Foundation (DFG), the German Federal Ministry Education and Research (BMBF), the German Health Ministry (BMG), and the International Heart and Lung Transplant Society (ISHLT).