Gothenburg University starts new professorship in health: A milestone!

Gothenburg University starts new professorship in health: A milestone!

Today, September 22, 2025, a new professorship for public health will be created at the Goethe University Frankfurt. This significant development is funded by the Hessian Ministry of Health and is intended to significantly strengthen the population health research landscape in the region. Prof. Dr. med. Jon Genuneit, who previously worked as a professor of pediatric epidemiology at the University of Leipzig, has taken over the management of this professorship.

Jon Genuneit's professional biography is impressive: Born in 1978, he studied human medicine in Ulm, received his doctorate in 2010 and acquired a Master of Science in epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 2011. His commitment to epidemiological research is underlined by his habilitation in epidemiology at the University of Ulm in 2014. He was also a founding member of the EAACI Epidemiology Interest Group.

Research priorities and collaboration

A central concern of the new professorship is regional research on the digitization of the public health service (ÖGD). Here, Genuneit plans to further develop a core curriculum and carry out research projects that will address the practical challenges in healthcare. Close cooperation with the State Office for Health and Care is seen as crucial in supporting the evidence-based work of the health authorities. The Hessian Minister of Health Diana Stolz emphasizes how important this professorship is for ensuring health education and prevention among the population.

Prof. Bernhards Brüne, Vice President of the Goethe University, emphasizes the need to interlink science, practice and politics in order to adequately meet the challenges in the healthcare system.

Development of the public health service in Germany

Parallel to this initiative, the German Society for Public Health Service (DGÖG) was founded in April 2023, which was initiated by the Federal Association of Doctors in the Public Health Service (BVÖGD). The aim is to create a multidisciplinary network that supports research and teaching in the public sector. These efforts are part of a broader approach to strengthen the ÖGD and ensure that professionals from different disciplines work together to establish a strong, knowledge-based system.

Members can focus specifically on ÖGD topics, whereby the DGÖG also enables close cooperation with the BVÖGD and the Federal Association of Dentists of the ÖGD (BZÖG). The current membership structure stipulates that interested parties who are active in the ÖGD or in corresponding research can apply for membership. The regular membership fee is 50 euros, for students it is 20 euros.

Promoting public health research

The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) supports extensive research projects in the field of public health. These projects aim to protect and promote the health of the population by analyzing diseases and their causes. The focus is on involving experts from biomedicine, environmental sciences, social sciences and humanities. The synergies between health promotion and environmental protection are also taken into account, with a strong focus on fundamental factors that influence health.

Current initiatives to promote healthy eating, support for socially disadvantaged expectant parents and active exercise programs in daycare centers are examples of the holistic perspective that public health research strives for. These programs are intended to make a concrete contribution to improving lifestyles and living conditions.

Considering the comprehensive measures and developments taking place both at Goethe University and at the national level, it is clear that the issue of public health is not only an academic but also a socially pressing concern.

For more information about public health initiatives and programs in Germany, visit puk.uni-frankfurt.de, dgoeg.de and bmftr.bund.de.