Professor Thiery sets new standards in digital medicine in Kiel!

Professor Thiery sets new standards in digital medicine in Kiel!

In December 2023, Professor Joachim Thiery was re-elected as Dean of the Medical Faculty at Kiel University (CAU). This decision is not only a confirmation of his previous work, but also an all-dimensional recognition of the entire deanery and its team. The supervisory board of the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) also confirmed Thiery as board member for research and teaching at the Kiel campus in October 2024. He is at the head of a progressive and future-oriented medical institution that wants to face the challenges of modern medicine.

Thiery has clear visions for the next five years. He plans to continue the “Kiel Way” of “precision medicine” in research. This approach aims to develop personalized medical solutions based on patients' individual needs. This also includes the modernization of teaching, in which technologies such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence and telemedicine will be increasingly used. Professor Markus Hundt, Vice President of the CAU, and Professor Jens Scholz, Chairman of the UKSH Board, have highlighted his successes and vehemently support his projects.

Research and innovation

One of Thiery's central concerns is to create improved conditions in medical research and teaching. This includes the planned construction of a new teaching building and the introduction of new educational formats. The Faculty of Medicine founded and further developed its research focus “Digital Medicine” in 2016 to meet the requirements of a rapidly changing healthcare landscape. In 2022, a new patient-focused focus was launched with a focus on “Precision Medicine – Research, Healing, Understanding”.

The digitalization of medicine plays a crucial role in this strategy. The faculty has identified four profile areas on which its research focuses:

• Entzündung
• Neurowissenschaften
• Onkologie
• Biomaterialien und Medizintechnik

These areas are designed to be systems medicine and sustainable and include cross-sectional areas that are essential for modern medical research. These include bioanalytics, digitalization and computer science as well as medical analytics.

International exchange and diversity

The medical school has also increased its commitment to international collaborations. Agreements with institutions in Tokyo and Cairo University are already being planned. There are also initiatives for collaboration with partners in Lithuania, Denmark, California and Israel. A particular goal is to increase the efficiency of composite structures in areas such as inflammation, neuroscience, oncology and medical technology.

Another key concern for Thiery is promoting diversity within the faculty. Since 2020, over 40 new professors have been appointed, 27 percent of whom are women, many in senior positions. These developments are not only a sign of progress, but also a fundamental necessity in order to be able to meet the current challenges in the medical sector.

Thiery also wants to increase trust in medical science through transparency and communication. Given increasing challenges such as the application of innovative technologies, including biologics and cell-based therapies, it is essential that healthcare professionals and the public are equally informed and involved in the decision-making process.

In summary, Professor Joachim Thiery is setting a clear course for the future with his re-election at the head of the CAU Medical Faculty, aimed at innovation, collaboration and diversity. With a strong focus on research and teaching, he will lead the faculty into a new era of medical science.