Markus Eszlinger joined the Institute of Pathology at the University Hospital Halle (Saale), Germany, in 2020 as Coordinator and Scientific Head of Molecular Pathology. He also serves as Technical Manager of MVZ UKH gGmbH, Human Genetics, Halle (Saale). Since 2017 he holds an appointment as an Adjunct Research Associate Professor at the Department of Oncology in the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 

After completing a PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Leipzig, Germany, in 2005 he spent 10 years as a research fellow and principal investigator at the Division of Endocrinology, University of Leipzig. In 2016 he joined the Department of Oncology in the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary and the Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute in Calgary, Alberta, Canada working on mutation-based molecular diagnosis of indeterminate thyroid cytology results, and on microRNA signatures of thyroid tumors and its possible diagnostic application in the context of indeterminate thyroid cytologies.

Markus Eszlinger’s major research interests include the molecular etiology of thyroid nodules and the identification and application of molecular markers that help to differentiate benign and malignant thyroid tumors. In a translational approach he aims on improving the pre-surgical diagnosis of cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodules by analyzing a panel of point mutations, gene fusions and microRNA markers using targeted next generation sequencing and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Together with Dr. Ralf Paschke he developed the ThyroSPEC™ MassARRAY panel. The prospective evaluation of molecular fine-needle aspiration diagnostics for indeterminate thyroid nodules with the ThyroSPEC™ panel led to its implementation by Alberta Public Laboratories and Alberta Health Services in October 2019. Together with interdisciplinary partners at the University of Calgary, Markus Eszlinger is aiming for a major change of clinical practice by solving the inherent limitations of thyroid fine needle aspiration cytology.