**About the Special Issue Editor**

**Ralf Weiskirchen**, Professor, Ph.D. was born in 1964 Bergisch Gladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany). After his school education, he studied Biology and completed his Ph.D. at the University of Cologne (Germany). Thereafter, he worked as Research Associate at the Institute of Biochemistry at the University of Innsbruck (Austria). Back in Germany, he habilitated at the RWTH University Hospital Aachen and became a Professor in 2007. Presently, he is head of the Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC) in Aachen. His major research focus is the analysis of the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis. In the past, he has intensively studied general aspects of cytokine and chemokine activities and their signaling pathways in models of hepatic inflammation, fibrosis/cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, he has isolated and established novel biomarkers or predisposition traits (SNPs, haplotypes) that allow determining the outcome of liver disease. The long-term objective of Professor Weiskirchen's studies is to translate experimental findings into novel diagnostic or therapeutic strategies. Ralf Weiskirchen has authored over 400 articles in peer-reviewed journals and has given a large number of presentations and lectures at medical and scientific conferences. He is editorial board member of a wealth of journals, and an active member of the German Association for the Study of the Liver (GASL) and the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL).
