Curriculum Vitae Prof. Dr. Tanja Michael

CURRENT POSITION

  • Full Professor: Chair of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, & Director of the Psychotherapy Outpatient Unit, Saarland University (2009 – present)
  • Director of the Psychotherapy Outpatient Unit of Saarland University (2009 – present)
  • Director of Postgraduate Clinical Training Centre for Cognitive-Behavioural Psychotherapy at Saarland University (2015 – present)


ACADEMIC EDUCATION

  • Habilitation. Venia legendi in Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Switzerland. Title of cumulative professorial dissertation: ‘Cognitive Behavioural Processes in Anxiety Disorders’ (2007)
  • D. Phil. (Doctor of Philosophy), Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, UK. Title of doctoral dissertation: ‘The Nature of Trauma Memory and Intrusive Cognitions in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder’ (2001)
  • Degree in Psychology (Diplom, equivalent to MSc), University of Braunschweig, Germany. Cumulative grade: 1.0 = best possible mark (1997)


CLINICAL QUALIFICATIONS

  • Licence to practise psychotherapy (Approbation) in Germany (2009) and Switzerland (2007)


HONORS AND AWARDS

  • Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science (APS) (since 2018)
  • Yearly listing in the list of the best medical practitioners in Germany (issued by the Focus magazine) (since 2011)
  • Science Award of the Government Council of the City of Basel, CH (2004)
  • Best Young Scientist Award of the Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Division of the German Association for Psychology (2003)
  • Best Newcomer Research Award of the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (2002)
  • Wellcome Trust Prize Studentship (1997–2000)

 

GRANTS

  • Research Fund of Saarland University: German translation and evaluation of the Childhood Abuse Screening Tool retrospective version (ISPCAN-R) (2020 – 2021).
  • German Research Foundation (Monika Equit, Tanja Michael & Tim Meyer; DFG 42631032): „Exercise as an adjuvant intervention to narrative exposure therapy in traumatized refugees“ (2019-2022)
  • German Research Foundation (Roxanne M Sopp & Tanja Michael; DFG 407402496): „CBT for insomnia as an adjuvant intervention to trauma-focused psychotherapies for patients with PTSD (2019-2021)
  • Research Fund of Saarland University: Role of sleep and circadian rhythm on the effectiveness of exposure therapy (2019-2020).
  • Federal Ministry of Education and Research (13GW0158C, DigiPhobie, 2017-2020): “Digital Therapy for Spider Phobia.” Project partners: Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Saarland University Hospital, Promotion Software Ltd. PI Tanja Michael
  • German Academic Exchange Service (57390244, 2018 - 2019): "Child maltreatment and adult psychopathology.” (Indian Partner: Professor Naved Iqbal)
  • Research Fund of Saarland University (2016-2018): “Effects of central insulin on fear extinction in healthy humans.” Principal investigators: Diana Ferreira de Sá & Tanja Michael
  • German Research Foundation (IRTG 1457) (2012 – 2017). Three PhD projects within the International Research Training Group (IRTG) „Adaptive Minds: Neural and Environmental Constraints on Learning and Memory”: PI Tanja Michael
  • Research Fund of Saarland University (2017-2018): “Affective startle modulation in before and after psychotherapy in depression.” Principal investigators: Johanna Lass-Hennemann, Diana Ferreira de Sá, Monika Equit & Tanja Michael
  • German Research Foundation (MI 1537/1-1) (2011 – 2014): Cortisol as a possible pharmacological aid for the reduction of intrusive memories after traumatic events – analogue studies. Principal investigators: Tanja Michael & Johanna Lass-Hennemann
  • Research Fund of Saarland University (2011-2012): Influence of endogenous cortisol levels on the outcome of exposure therapy – a randomised controlled trial. Principal investigators: Tanja Michael & Johanna Lass-Hennemann.
  • Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) (2004–2007): ‘Aversive and evaluative conditionability of experiential, behavioural, and physiological anxiety responses in panic disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder’. Principal investigators: Tanja Michael, Frank Wilhelm, & Jürgen Margraf
  • University of Basel Trust for the Promotion of Young Scientists (2005–2006): ‘Learning mechanisms in anxiety disorders’. Principal Investigator: Tanja Michael.
  • Academic Society of Basel (2004-2006): ‘Fear reduction mechanisms’. Principal Investigator: Tanja Michael
  • Uarda Frutiger Trust (2004–2005): ‘The role of affective learning in common dysfunctional behaviour: Anxiety and addiction’. Principal Investigators: Tanja Michael & Chantal Martin-Soelch
  • Jacqueline Spengler Trust (2001–2004): ‘GO!-Project: Prevention of anxiety and depression in adolescents’. Principal Investigators: Tanja Michael & Jürgen Margraf


SPECIALIZATION / RESEARCH INTERESTS

Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders / Anxiety Disorders / Exposure Therapy / Memory and Learning Processes in Psychological Disorders / Intrusive Cognitions / Psychotherapy Outcome Research / Ambulatory Monitoring of Symptoms / Psychophysiological Signature of Anxiety and Related Disorders


AD-HOC REVIEWER FOR JOURNALS

Behaviour Research and Therapy / Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy /Biological Psychology / Biological Psychiatry / British Journal of Health Psychology / Clinical Psychological Science / Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy / Depression and Anxiety / European Journal of Psychotraumatology / Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry /Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology / Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease / Journal of Traumatic Stress / Memory / Psychophysiology / Verhaltenstherapie / Swiss Journal of Psychology / Zeitschrift für Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie


CONSULTING EDITOR / EDITORIAL BOARD

  • Clinical Psychological Science / European Journal of Psychotraumatology


MEMBERSHIPS

  • Association for Psychological Science
  • European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies, EABCT
  • European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, ESTSS
  • German Association for Psychology, DGPs
  • German Association for Psychotraumatology, DeGPT
  • International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, ISTSS


COMMITTEES AND ADVISORY BOARDS

  • Member of the committee of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF) issuing the guidelines for PTSD 
  • Member of the scientific advisory board of the Psychotrauma Centre of the German Federal Armed Forces