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Inaugural and Farewell Lectures

Inaugural lecture Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Nadine Lehnen

A new understanding of functional body complaints

Monday, June 22, 2026, 6 p.m. c. t.
Lecture hall I of the LFI, Kerpener Straße 62, 50931 Cologne

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Tag der Offenen Tür

Medical society

Further events

06/22/2026 | Site: MedFak Dekanat , Veranstaltungen und Termine , Transfer Veranstaltungen Termine , Medizinische Gesellschaft MG

Nobelpreisträger Prof. Dr. Martin Chalfie über "The continuing need for useless knowledge"

Vortrag in englischer Sprache im Rahmen der Medizinischen Gesellschaft am Montag, 22. Juni 2026, 16.00 Uhr; Hörsaal I…

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Please note: Traditionally the event is photographed. If you do not wish to appear in pictures, please contact the present photographer directly.

Past inaugural and farewell lectures

Upcoming event

Inaugural lecture Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Andreas Horn

The measured brain - from Penfield to Python

How can the "measured" brain be measured? From Wilder Penfield's cortical stimulation maps to today's network models of brain stimulation, our view has shifted from the individual location to the distributed circuit. Lesions and stimulation sites now allow causal conclusions to be drawn about disease-relevant networks - about dysregulated, in a sense "measured" circuits of the human brain. On this basis, a new form of personalized neuromodulation is emerging that integrates genetic, structural and functional information. The lecture outlines this paradigm shift - and asks how targeted interventions can restore disturbed brain functions.

Inaugural lecture by Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Neumann-Haefelin

Only a healthy liver grows with its tasks

Liver diseases are among the most common causes of death worldwide. In the last 20 years, however, hepatology has made enormous progress and almost all liver diseases are now easily treatable or even curable. In his inaugural lecture, Prof. Neumann-Haefelin will show how a healthy lifestyle and early diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases protect the liver and what role the immune system plays in this.

Monday, 23.03.2026
LFI building, lecture hall 1

18.00 c.t.

Joint inaugural lecture by University Professor Dr. Tanja Groten and University Professor Dr. Florin Andrei Taran 8.12.2025

Prof. Dr. med. Tanja Groten: Pregnancy as a footprint for two

For a long time, the medical focus during pregnancy has been on the child. However, pregnancy affects the health of not only the child but also the mother in many ways: Physical, hormonal and psychological changes during pregnancy influence both its course and the longer-term health for both. In her inaugural lecture, Prof. Dr. Tanja Groten will shed light on the influences that pregnancy can have on the health of mothers and children and family health behavior, and how the footprint of pregnancy can affect mother and child in the long term.
 

Prof. Dr. med. Florin-Andrei Taran: Gynaecology in transition: the art of de-escalation

Modern gynecology is increasingly seen as a field of precision medicine, especially in the oncological context. Precision medicine here means that diagnostics and treatment are no longer based on the "one size fits all" principle, but on the individual biological, genetic and molecular characteristics of the patient or tumor. In his inaugural lecture, Prof. Dr. Florin-Andrei Taran will show how a patient-centric approach in modern gynaecology can be used to specify and thus de-escalate treatment against the backdrop of new diagnostic and therapeutic options.

Monday, December 8, 2025 
Lecture hall 1, LFI, building 13
6.15 pm

poster

public Farewell lecture

Farewell lecture by Prof. Dr. med. Rita Schmutzler

Thursday, October 9, 2025, 6 p.m. c. t.
Lecture Hall I, LFI, Building 13, Kerpener Straße 62, 50931 Cologne

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Rita Schmutzler
Director, Center for Familial Breast and Ovarian Cancer

on the topic
"From prediction to prevention"

Around a third of common solid tumor diseases are attributable to genetic risk factors. Knowledge of these risk factors enables individual risk prediction. Hereditary breast cancer is a prime example of this. The Center for Familial Breast and Ovarian Cancer, in collaboration with the German Consortium, has identified genetic risk factors over three decades and established risk-adapted prevention on this basis. In cooperation with the health insurance companies, this concept has been transferred to knowledge-generating care.

to the poster

public Inaugural lecture

Inaugural lecture Univ.-Prof. Dr. Andrea Steinbicker

Monday, June 30, 2025, 6 p.m. c. t.
Lecture Hall I in the LFI, Building 13, Kerpener Str. 62, 50931 Cologne

Prof. Andrea Steinbicker, MD, MPH
Director of the Clinic for Anaesthesiology and Operative Intensive Care Medicine

on the topic
"Into the future with artificial oxygen carriers"

What do iron, blood and artificial oxygen carriers have in common? It's not just Professor Steinbicker's research focus, which she combines in the clinic, research and teaching - all three aspects are aimed at supplying the organs with oxygen. Iron is used to promote the formation of red blood cells, blood transfusions are valuable suppliers of oxygen carriers in operating theaters and intensive care units, and the desire for an artificial oxygen carrier has been a human dream for decades. Find out how far research has progressed and what Professor Steinbicker can contribute during her inaugural lecture on June 30, 2025.

to the poster

Copyright
All images (left): Dorothea Hensen, MedizinFotoKöln.

Public inaugural lecture

Inaugural lecture by Univ.-Prof. Dr. Nicola H. Bauer

Monday, December 2, 2024, 6 p.m. c. t.
Lecture Hall I, MTI Lecture Hall Building of the Centers for Biochemistry and Physiology Building 44b
Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 52, 50931 Cologne

Univ.-Prof. Dr. phil. Nicola H. Bauer
Director of the Institute of Midwifery Science

on the topic
"The discipline of midwifery science at medical faculties - from tradition to innovation?"

Professor Bauer took up the newly established professorship for midwifery science at the Faculty of Medicine in April 2022 and thus also took over the management of the newly founded Institute of Midwifery Science. Alongside the establishment of the institute, she is also setting up the first NRW-wide university bachelor's degree course in Applied Midwifery Science .

Public inaugural lecture

Inaugural lecture by Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Jonathan Jantsch

Monday, October 28, 2024, 6 p.m. c. t.
Lecture Hall I, MTI Lecture Hall Building of the Centers for Biochemistry and Physiology Building 44b
Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 52, 50931 Cologne

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Jonathan Jantsch
Director of the Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene

on the topic
"Infection diagnostics and infection defense in the course of time"

For a long time, advances in medicine and hygiene gave the impression that communicable diseases had been largely conquered. However, it was not only COVID-19 that drew the world's attention to the fatal consequences that infectious diseases still have today. In addition to the emergence of new diseases and the persistence of old infectious diseases, the increasing development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a global threat. The aim of microbiology is to decipher and diagnose infections in order to provide precise options for action for personalized medicine using the data obtained.

Farewell public lecture

Farewell lecture by Prof. Dr. med. Thorsten Wahlers

Monday, September 23, 2024, 6 p.m. c. t.
Lecture Hall I, LFI, Building 13, Kerpener Straße 62, 50931 Cologne

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Thorsten Wahlers
Director of the Clinic and Polyclinic for Cardiac Surgery, Cardiac Surgical Intensive Care Medicine and Thoracic Surgery

on the topic
"Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery 1999-2024: A Review"

Prof. Dr. Thorsten Wahlers has made a name for himself as Director of Cardiac Surgery and as Full Professor of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery - far beyond the borders of Cologne. After 19 years at Cologne University Medicine, he handed over the clinic to his successor, Prof. Dr. Lenard Conradi, on 01.08.2024.

Farewell public lecture

Farewell lecture Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Tobias Goeser

Monday, September 9, 2024, 6 p.m. c. t.
Lecture Hall I, LFI, Building 13, Kerpener Straße 62, 50931 Cologne

Prof. Dr. med. Tobias Goeser
Director of the Clinic and Polyclinic for Gastroenterology and Hepatology

on the topic
"Gastroenterology at the University of Cologne: yesterday - today - tomorrow"

Prof. Dr. med. Tobias Goeser was appointed to the Faculty of Medicine 27 years ago and, as Director, has built up the Clinic and Polyclinic for Gastroenterology and Hepatology into one of the best specialist clinics in Germany. Gastroenterology is a branch of internal medicine and deals with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and the associated organs liver, gallbladder and pancreas. As the powerhouse of the body, problems with the digestive organs often lead to serious illnesses, with 61,000 people dying from them every year in Germany. In his farewell lecture, Prof. Dr. med. Tobias Goeser will shed light on the rapid developments within his field.

Public inaugural lecture

Inaugural lecture Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dr. Greta Barbe

Farewell public lecture

Farewell lecture by Prof. Dr. med. Konrad Brockmeier

Monday, December 11, 2023, 6 p.m. c.t.
in Lecture Hall I, MTI Lecture Hall Building of the Centers for Biochemistry and Physiology, Building 44b Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 52, 50931 Cologne

Prof. Dr. med. Konrad Brockmeier

on the topic
"My last lecture: 21 years of pediatric cardiology"

Further information

Article on the farewell in the Kölnische Rundschau

Event photos: Dorothea Hensen, MedizinFotoKöln

Public inaugural lecture

Inaugural lecture Univ.-Prof. Dr. phil. Sascha Köpke

Monday, November 20, 2023,6 p.m. c.t.
in Lecture Hall I, MTI Lecture Hall Building of the Centers for Biochemistry and Physiology, Building 44b Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 52, 50931 Cologne

Univ.-Prof. Dr. phil. Sascha Köpke
Professor of Nursing Science

on the topic
"Establishing extended nursing roles: Germany versus the rest of the world?"

Further information

Event photos: Thies Schöning, MedizinFotoKöln

Farewell public lecture

Farewell lecture by Prof. Dr. med. Martin Krönke

Monday, October 23, 2023, 6 p.m. c.t.
in Lecture Hall I, MTI Lecture Hall Building of the Centers for Biochemistry and Physiology, Building 44b Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 52, 50931 Cologne, Germany

Prof. Dr. med. Martin Krönke

on the topic
"Staphylococci and the snow on Kilimanjaro"

Further information about the event

Event photos: Thies Schöning, MedizinFotoKöln

Public inaugural lecture

Inaugural lecture Univ.-Prof. Dr. Beate Müller

Monday, August 21, 2023, 6 p.m. c.t.

in Lecture Hall I, MTI Lecture Hall Building of the Centers for Biochemistry and Physiology, Building 44b Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 52, 50931 Cologne

University Professor Dr. Beate Müller
Director of the Institute of General Medicine

on the topic
"General practice in (climate) change: How can safe healthcare succeed?"

Professor Dr. Beate Müller, Director of the Institute of General Practice at Cologne University Medicine, which was founded in April 2022, will talk about general practice in the context of climate change in her inaugural lecture. The lecture will take a closer look at the impact of climate change on medical care and the challenges that environmental changes pose directly for everyday medical practice. Prof. Dr. Beate Müller will also show how sustainability can be implemented in practices and everyday clinical practice.

Further information

Photos: Dorothea Hensen, MedizinFotoKöln

Public inaugural lecture

Inaugural Lecture Univ.-Prof. Dr. Henning Walczak

Monday, March 27, 2023, 6 p.m. c.t.

in Lecture Hall I, MTI Lecture Hall Building of the Centers for Biochemistry and Physiology, Building 44b Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 52, 50931 Cologne

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Henning Walczak
Professor of Biochemistry

on the topic
"Cell death, inflammation and immunity: from molecular understanding to medical application"

►Further information

Photos: Thies Schöning, MedizinFotoKöln

Public inaugural lecture

Inaugural lecture Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Bernhard Dorweiler

Monday, January 30, 2023, 6 p.m. c.t.

in Lecture Hall I, MTI Lecture Hall Building of the Centers for Biochemistry and Physiology, Building 44b Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 52, 50931 Cologne

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Bernhard Dorweiler
Professor of Vascular Surgery

on the topic
"Vascular prostheses 4.0 - from needle and thread to custom-made suit"

Further information on the topic

Photos: Thies Schöning, MedizinFotoKöln

Public inaugural lecture

Inaugural lecture Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Dietrich Rebholz-Schumann

Monday, 21.1.2019 I 18.00 h c.t.

University Professor Dr. med. Dietrich Rebholz-Schuhmann

Professor of Biomedical Data Analysis and Semantics

on"Use of formal biomedical semantics for data integration, e.g. for genomic cancer research"

Prof. Rebholz-Schuhmann took over as Scientific Director of ZB MED - Information Center for Life Sciences on May 1, 2018. At the same time, he took up his professorship for Biomedical Data Analysis and Semantics at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Cologne.

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