Rurik von Hagens, Managing Director
Plastination has been a part of my life forever. My father, Gunther von Hagens invented the process before I was even born. Some of my earliest childhood memories are in the lab with him. It was always exciting to see what he was up to.
I spent my time off from school, working around my father and his projects. While I helped in the lab occasionally, I preferred working on organizing and planning the exhibitions and public displays. It has always fascinated me to see the reaction of the people experiencing plastinates for the first time.
After completing a degree in economics and an MBS, I took a job with a large international company, but I always kept an interest in what was going on in plastination.
My father established Gubener Plastinate with the mission to distribute plastinates to universities and to expand our range of teaching tools. Our team had the skill and expertise to make plastinates but lacked organization for everything that had to happen outside of the lab. When Gunther was diagnosed with Parkinson’s it became apparent that he could not oversee the lab and the administration on his own (any longer). As he started to scale back his work, we decided that it was the right time for me to step in as Managing Director.
Since 2011, I have spent my time between our laboratory in Guben and our offices in Heidelberg. When in Guben you can usually find me meeting with our various departments, giving tours of our facilities, handling general operations, and supporting my father. Spending time in Heidelberg, where our Institute for Plastination is headquartered, allows me to ensure that our entities are working cohesively. Heidelberg continues to be my home, where I spend free time with my family, bicycling, and being outdoors. You might also find me on the road, meeting with our university clients or at conferences. And whenever I can, I enjoy playing a heated game of chess with Gunther.