Univ.-Prof. Dr. Christiane Pfarrer

1982-84
Training as a “farmer”

1984-89
Studied veterinary medicine at Justus Liebig University Giessen (license to practice medicine 12/1989)

1990-92
Dissertation under Prof. Dr. R. R. Hofmann on “Comparative histological and histomorphometric studies on the preorbital organ of 21 ruminant species (Ruminantia Scopoli, 1777)”. Doctorate at the Department of Veterinary Medicine at Justus Liebig University Giessen. Parallel to the dissertation, part-time work as a practice assistant in a small animal practice.

10/1992-09/1998
Research assistant in the working group “Comparative Placentation” (Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. R. Leiser). Working on projects on placental angiogenesis in sheep, humans and mink using scanning electron microscopy and histology. In addition, assistant in all courses for students of veterinary medicine (anatomy, histology and embryology) and agricultural sciences (anatomy of domestic animals).

09/1998-08/2004
Scientific assistant (C1) Head of the working group laboratory. Working on questions in the field of angiogenesis and cell-cell interaction in different placenta types with a wide range of methods (transmission and scanning electron microscopy, immunohistology and immunofluorescence, molecular biological methods such as RT-PCR, in situ hybridization, Western blot, cell culture).

Establishment of the cell culture method and the associated laboratory at the Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology. Member (joint projects with Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. R. Leiser) of the DFG Research Training Groups “Molecular Veterinary Medicine” and “Cell-Cell Interaction in Reproduction”.

05/2000
Specialist veterinarian for anatomy

06/2004
Habilitation at the Department of Veterinary Medicine at Justus Liebig University. Awarded the Venia Legendi for Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology. Title of the habilitation thesis “Characterization of the development of ruminant placentomes”.

07/2004
Awarded the academic title “Privatdozentin” (private lecturer)

09/2004-08/2007
Head of laboratory at the Center for Gynecology and Obstetrics at Justus Liebig University Giessen (Prof. Dr. Dr. Tinneberg). Continuation and deepening of studies on cell-cell interactions and their regulation in the bovine placenta at the in/ex vivo and in vitro level as well as studies on the influence of modern reproductive biology techniques on placental morphology (placenta of in vitro produced and cloned calves).

02/2007
Honorary appointment to the Chair of Veterinary Anatomy at the Vetsuisse Faculty of the University of Zurich

09/2007
Appointment to the W3 professorship for Anatomy at the Anatomical Institute of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Foundation; Appointment as Director of the Anatomical Institute

Member of the Virtual Center for Reproductive Medicine Lower Saxony at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Foundation

Member of the Virtual Center for Alternative and Complementary Methods to Animal Experiments

• European Association of Veterinary Anatomists (EAVA):
  President (since 2021)
  Member of the International Committee on Veterinary Embryological Nomenclature
• World Association of Veterinary Anatomists (WAVA)
• European Placenta Group (EPG):
  Elected member of the Planning Committee
  Elected representative of the EPG in the International Federation of Placental Associations (IFPA)
• German Veterinary Medical Society (Deutsche Veterinärmedizinische Gesellschaft, DVG)
• Association of Friends of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (Verein der Freunde der Tierärztlichen Hochschule, GdF)
• Upper Hessian Society for Nature and Healing (Oberhessische Gesellschaft für Natur und Heilkunde)
• Association of Friends and Sponsors of Veterinary Medicine at Justus Liebig University (Verein der Freunde und Förderer der Veterinärmedizin an der Justus-Liebig-Universität)

April 1993:
Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, Denmark; with Prof. V. Dantzer: Microvascularization of the mink placenta

Aug.-Okt. 1993:
Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California, USA; with Prof. L.D. Longo: Adaptation of the placental blood vessels of the sheep under high mountain conditions

April 1994:
University of Messina, Italy; with Prof. G. Germaná and Dr. F. Abbate: Changes in microvascularization during the evolution and involution of the bursa fabricii of the pigeon

April 1995:
University of Messina, Italy; continuation of the above project

April 1995:
Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, Denmark; with Prof. V. Dantzer: Development of the vascular system and cytoskeleton of the mink placenta

September 1998:
INRA, Jouy-en-Josas, Paris, France; with Dr. Michel Guillomot: Immunofluorescence analyses of cytoskeleton and integrin receptors in sheep and goats

Juli-Okt. 1999:
Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA; with Prof. F.W. Bazer: Integrins and extracellular matrix during ovine implantation; in vitro influence of interferon tau on ovine endometrial cells

Februar 2009:
Universität Sao Paulo, Brazil; with Prof. Dr. Paula Papa: Integrin expression in placentas of cloned fetuses (DAAD PROBAL program)

2003:
Meeting of the “European Placenta Group” (EPG) in Mainz, together with Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. R. Leiser

2003:
Workshop on cell culture of the “Young Generation” of the “European Association of Veterinary Anatomists” (EAVA)

2005:
Workshop “Quality of Oocytes and Embryos” at the conference “Physiology and Pathology of Reproduction” on 10.02.2005 in Zurich (together with Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. H.-R. Tinneberg).

2006:
Workshop “Placental vascularization and blood flow” as part of the Reproductive Biomechanics Track at the 5th World Congress of Biomechanics (WCB 2006) on 31.07.2006 in Munich (together with Martin van Gemert, Netherlands)

2008:
Workshop “Different species show different placental solutions for fetal development and different clinical problems” at the IFPA Meeting 2008 in Seggau, Austria (Sept 2008)

2009:
Workshop “Placenta in Agricultural Animals” at the IFPA Meeting 2009 in Adelaide, 6.10. to 9.10.2009 (together with Prof. Dr. Vibeke Dantzer, Copenhagen, Denmark)