A matter of the mind

Modern medicine would be unthinkable without innovative research. But despite all the pioneering spirit, we must not lose sight of the human aspect. These examples show how scientific findings can be used to improve the lives of patients. They involve a child with a brain tumor, highly dedicated nursing staff, and the most prestigious research award in neuroscience.

Click on the pulsating neurons to learn more about the exciting topics in neurology at the UKHD.

Neurology and polyclinic

The silent alliance between tumors and the brain

They are incurable and highly aggressive: glioblastomas. For those affected, these brain tumors are a death sentence. But thanks to the work of Prof. Dr. Frank Winkler, who was awarded the Brain Prize, conducts research at the Heidelberg Medical Faculty (MFHD) of Heidelberg University, and treats patients as managing senior physician at Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD), there are new therapeutic approaches. Five facts about the pioneering work in Heidelberg.

1. Healthy cells fuel tumor growth

Glioblastomas are extremely aggressive brain tumors. Prof. Dr. Frank Winkler and his team have discovered that the healthy nerve cells in the diseased brain form cell-cell contacts with the tumor cells. These are normal excitatory “synapses,” as these contact points between nerve cells are called. In addition, the nerve cells of the brain transmit excitation signals to the long cell extensions of the glioblastoma cells, thereby stimulating tumor growth and the spread of tumor cells into the brain tissue. This discovery recently earned Prof. Winkler the world’s largest neuroscience and neuromedicine research prize: the Brain Prize, worth 1.3 million euros.

2. Tumor cells form a fungal-like network

Glioblastoma cells are connected to each other by long cell extensions and grow into healthy brain tissue in a fungal-like network. This network cannot be completely removed surgically. In addition, the cells exchange important substances via their connections, thus protecting themselves from damage caused by therapy. This is considered one of the reasons why, despite intensive treatment with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, most patients die within two years.

3. Cell communication can be inhibited

Communication between tumor cells and healthy cells can be inhibited in the same way as communication between healthy cells. For example, a drug already approved for epilepsy can disrupt signal transmission at the synapses. A clinical study is currently investigating whether this can slow tumor growth – a completely new therapeutic approach.

4. New field of research established: Cancer Neuroscience

Prof. Winkler has initiated a paradigm shift in cancer research by incorporating neuroscience. In doing so, he has laid the foundation for what is now known as cancer neuroscience. This field of research focuses on the interaction between the nervous system and cancer, and not just in brain tumors: there is now growing scientific evidence that the nervous system could also play a central role in other types of cancer.

5. Translation is key to success

Prof. Winkler not only conducts research; he also treats patients himself using innovative approaches. He can immediately verify observations from the clinic in basic scientific research. This is translation in action. Heidelberg offers excellent conditions for this thanks to its close links between the university, the university hospital, and non-university research institutions such as the German Cancer Research Center.

Brain Prize for outstanding brain research

The Brain Prize, worth €1.3 million, recognizes particularly innovative and far-reaching advances in brain research – from basic neuroscience research to applied clinical research. The prize, awarded by the Lundbeck Foundation, has been presented annually since 2011 and is the largest neuroscience and neuro-medical research prize worldwide. To date, 49 scientists from eleven countries have received the award. In 2025, the Brain Prize went to Prof. Dr. Frank Winkler from the UKHD and Prof. Michelle Monje from Stanford University, who researches inoperable brain tumors in children.

Read more about the Brain Prize
Pioneering work from Heidelberg: The video “Glioblastomas: How tumor cells communicate in a network” explains the research of Prof. Dr. Frank Winkler and his team.
Portrait of Prof. Dr. Frank Winkler

Prof. Dr. Frank Winkler

Managing Senior Physician at the UKHD’s Department of Neurology

An expert in translation

Prof. Dr. Frank Winkler studied medicine in Hamburg, Freiburg, London, and Cape Town. He completed his specialist training in neurology in 2009. Since 2016, he has been Senior Physician at the Department of Neurology at Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD), where he treats patients with brain tumors. He also conducts research at Heidelberg Medical School and the German Cancer Research Center. Over the past 15 years, he has gained groundbreaking insights into the functioning of glioblastomas. For his work, he received the German Cancer Award in the “Translational Research” category in 2022, the BIAL Award in Biomedicine in 2024, and the Brain Prize, the world's largest neuroscience and neuromedicine research award, in 2025.

As a physician engaged in scientific work, I care for and treat patients with brain tumors on a daily basis and, at the same time, I am able to scientifically test the hypotheses that arise from my direct struggle with the disease in the clinic. This naturally leads to the right questions, which are truly relevant to the fundamental mechanisms of the tumor disease and to the patients themselves.
A person in lab clothing looks at a monitor showing luminous structures in shades of blue and green.

Neurology and polyclinic

Glioblastoma – the brain within the brain

It is still a long way off, but one day glioblastoma will be successfully treatable, perhaps even curable. This is the goal of Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 1389, which is investigating the mechanisms of therapy resistance of these brain tumors. Five questions for SFB spokesperson Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wick.

1. What exactly is a glioblastoma and what makes it so challenging compared to other brain tumors?

Glioblastoma is the most malignant brain tumor we know of. It develops from the same cells that the brain itself once developed from. The problem is its location, because you can't simply cut a tumor out of the brain. Healthy function must be preserved. In addition, it grows in a highly infiltrative manner, meaning that it becomes closely intertwined with the healthy surrounding tissue. The tumor even interacts with healthy cells via synapses, forming a kind of brain within the brain. This network is well protected, with the cells helping each other. Glioblastomas are also very heterogeneous, meaning they consist of different cell types, each of which has different barriers to therapy. The combination of these factors makes them difficult to treat.

Portrait of Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wick.

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wick

Spokesperson SFB 1389 UNITE Glioblastoma

2. What is the SFB's main scientific goal?

The SFB represents all disciplines involved in research and therapy related to brain tumors. The working groups attempt to understand the mechanisms of primary resistance or the development of resistance using human material or realistic models that replicate the development of the disease. In the first funding phase of the German Research Foundation, the focus was therefore primarily on the situation of a newly-diagnosed glioblastoma. Now, in the second funding phase, we are focusing in particular on the recurrence and progression of the disease.

We have already gained three insights:

  1. The term glioblastoma covers a range of diseases with different vulnerabilities. This gives rise to various drug-based approaches.
  2. The network architecture, i.e., the fact that the tumor cells communicate, plays a major role.
  3. There are exciting immunotherapeutic approaches and approaches that attack the metabolic dependencies, largely in conjunction with classicial chemotherapy. We want to push ahead with these topics so that we can offer personalized treatments in the future.
A person wearing lab clothing works with a pipette behind a protective glass screen.
SFB 1389 investigates the resistance of glioblastomas to therapy.
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wick with two other people in a meeting room. In the background, a large monitor displays bright lines and dots.
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wick is spokesperson for SFB 1389, managing director of the Neurological Clinic at UKHD, and head of the Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuro-Oncology at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). Since 2023, he is also chairman of the German Science & Humanities Council.
Group photo: Numerous people in white and blue medical uniforms are standing on a staircase, smiling. The photo was taken from an elevated perspective.
Prof. Wick’s research group.

3. What role do innovative technologies, AI applications, etc. play in your research, and do they enable a new understanding of tumor biology?

Yes, absolutely. For example, we use artificial neural networks to sort the subgroups of very heterogeneous glioblastomas based on their molecular profiles. We can also evaluate images, such as MRI scans, much more accurately with neural networks. AI could also become important in the search for new drugs. There are huge chemical libraries that we can search much more effectively with AI applications. We are very technically sophisticated and also support the development of new procedures in some cases.

According to the German Brain Tumor Aid Association (in German), there are 120 different types of brain tumors. Nearly 3,000 people in Germany are diagnosed with the most malignant type, glioblastoma, every year.

4. Are there already studies or applications in which patients benefit directly from the findings of the SFB?

Yes, they do! A study manuscript that was heavily promoted by the basic molecular research in the SFB is now published in the journal Nature Medicine. This is the so-called NOA-20/N2M2 study. In this study, we used a molecularly targeted approach in eight therapy arms to try to benefit patients with what we have learned. This was very successful. Studies in the field of immunotherapy are also important, although these are being conducted primarily in Mannheim.

5. What do you expect in the next five years – will the prognosis for people with glioblastoma improve?

I hope that we will continue to find subgroups that we can help more and more effectively. Transferring our findings to the clinic – e.g. in our newly established Heidelberg/Mannheim European Center for Neurooncology – is essential for this. Success in therapy will follow.

Brief introduction

Neurology – modern diagnostics and therapy for the nervous system

At the UKHD's Neurology Clinic, diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system and the muscles are diagnosed and treated using state-of-the-art methods. With an experienced team of more than 340 employees, specialized wards, and outpatient clinics, the department cares for more than 8,000 inpatients and 23,000 outpatients annually.

Particular areas of focus include neuro-oncology, vascular neurology, neuroimmunology, acute and intensive care neurology, and neurodegenerative diseases. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and strong research activity with clinical studies, patients benefit from the latest scientific findings and advanced therapies.

To the website of Neurology and Polyclinic
A person wearing a white coat and gloves holds a microscope slide in the air and looks at it.
A person wearing a white coat and gloves is working with a pipette.

Clinical Cooperation Unit (KKE) Neuro-Oncology between DKFZ and MFHD

In the KKE headed by Wolfgang Wick, several independent working groups are investigating gliomas, brain metastases, and primary CNS lymphomas. The focus is on both basic science and translation.

There are intensive regional, national, and international collaborations and links, particularly in neuropathology, neuroradiology, and neurosurgery.

Visit the website of the Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuro-Oncology

Neurosurgery Clinic / Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine

Laser therapy: Small patient, big opportunities

For the first time in Germany, a young child with epilepsy was treated for a benign brain tumor using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided laser therapy. The minimally invasive procedure at Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) is a milestone in stereotactic pediatric neurosurgery.

Despite medication, two-year-old Kuzey suffered from epileptic seizures around 60 times a day. The reason: a benign tumor in the hypothalamus. Kuzey was admitted to the UKHD for treatment – one of the few hospitals in Germany that offers MRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT). The system was funded by the Dietmar Hopp Foundation.

Highly specialized laser therapy in Heidelberg

Prof. Dr. Steffen Syrbe cared for Kuzey and his family. “With the tumor, there was a clearly localizable source that could be destroyed without damaging healthy brain tissue,” explains the Head of the Pediatric Epileptology Section at the Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. The laser catheter is precisely guided into the brain. Laser energy causes the surrounding tissue to heat up. Heat development can be directly controlled inside the MRI scanner with real-time imaging. This helps to ensure the desired lesion is fully treated, sparing the surrounding normal brain tissue from heat damage. The procedure can also be used to treat malignant and deep-seated brain tumors and brain metastases, or for movement disorders.

A child sits on a treatment table, holding a threading game in their hands and smiling softly at the camera. Colourful pictures hang in the background, with a stuffed animal beside them.
Kuzey had a benign brain tumor that caused up to 60 epileptic seizures per day.
Group photo with two medical professionals, a mother, and a small child. They are all sitting together on a treatment couch and smiling.
Thanks to minimally invasive laser thermotherapy, Kuzey is now cured of his epilepsy. From left: neurosurgeon Prof. Dr. Martin Jakobs, Kuzey, pediatric neurologist Prof. Dr. Steffen Syrbe, and Kuzey’s mother.

A procedure with a major impact

Whenever Kuzey had a seizure before the procedure, his brain function was disrupted. This slowed down his brain development, making it difficult for him to learn to speak. He was too young for alternative procedures, so the doctors opted for this innovative approach. Through a three-millimeter opening in the skull, the team guided a laser probe to the hypothalamus. In just 20 minutes, the tumor was destroyed using thermotherapy – and Kuzey was discharged a few days later without any complaints. Since then, he has had no further seizures and his brain can develop undisturbed. “Even if we had only reduced the frequency, that would have been a relief,” says Prof. Dr. Martin Jakobs, Head of the Stereotactic Neurosurgery Section at the Clinic for Neurosurgery.

Approximately one in 200,000 children is affected by a tumor like the one Kuzey had. Thanks to stereotactic laser thermotherapy, it took only 20 minutes to destroy it.

Surgery with a future

Prof. Jakobs sees great potential in the procedure. “The applications of minimally invasive stereotactic neurosurgery will continue to develop, for example through targeted gene therapy for childhood Parkinson's disease and other conditions,” he says. For example, the Department of Neuropediatrics and Metabolic Medicine recently performed the first approved gene therapy in children with a rare metabolic disorder of the brain, AADC deficiency. In this procedure, a few milliliters of the active substance are introduced into brain structures in a controlled manner, after which the brain can produce the missing neurotransmitters. The neurosurgeon expects up to 30 procedures per year for various diseases in the future.

Medicine in the Evening

Prof. Dr. Sandro, M. Krieg MBA, Managing Director of the Neurosurgical Clinic, spoke about high-tech in neurosurgery at the “Medicine in the Evening” lecture series. Listen to the lecture “Brain Tumors, Chronic Pain, Spine – Neurosurgery as a Driver of Innovation” as a podcast (This podcast is available in German only).

Brief introduction

Neuropediatrics – specialized care for neurological disorders in children

The Department of Neuropediatrics and Metabolic Medicine, and Pediatric Epileptology at the Heidelberg Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine is one of the leading institutions for the interdisciplinary care of children and adolescents with neurological disorders, developmental disorders, neurometabolic and other rare neurological diseases.

Numerous young patients are treated each year in specialized wards and at the Social Pediatric Center. An experienced, multidisciplinary team supports families from diagnosis to therapy and works closely with specialist departments such as neurosurgery, radiology, and pediatric surgery. In addition, the section is integrated into international research networks in order to transfer the latest scientific findings directly into clinical practice.

Children with congenital metabolic disorders also receive specialized care here, supported by state-of-the-art diagnostics at the Dietmar Hopp Metabolic Center.

To the website of Neuropediatrics and Metabolic Medicine (in German)
Exterior view of the children’s hospital with its colorful glass facade.
Exterior view of the children’s hospital with its colorful glass facade.

Neurosurgery – precise surgery for the central and peripheral nervous system

The Heidelberg University Hospital's Department of Neurosurgery is one of the world's leading neurosurgical centers. With five state-of-the-art operating rooms and a specialized intensive care unit, the team treats around 12,000 patients and performs more than 3,500 operations every year. Particular areas of focus include brain tumor surgery, vascular neurosurgery, skull base surgery, spinal surgery, and the treatment of children with similar neurosurgical diseases and malformations.

With its pediatric neurosurgery section, the Neurosurgery Clinic is home to one of the largest and most experienced pediatric neurosurgery departments in the country.

Thanks to state-of-the-art surgical technology – including intraoperative MRI, neuro navigation, and neuromonitoring – the clinic sets the highest standards in patient care. Close cooperation with international research centers and strong research activity ensure continuous medical progress.

Visit the Neurosurgery Clinic website (in German)

Pediatric Epileptology – Specialized Care and Research for Children with Epilepsy

The Pediatric Epileptology Section at the Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine in Heidelberg specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy in children and adolescents. Accompanying movement or developmental disorders as well as psychological stress are also comprehensively taken into account by the interdisciplinary team.

The certified epilepsy center offers all modern therapy options – including pre-surgical diagnostics and long-term care. Three video EEG monitoring stations enable precise assessment of even complex seizures.

One focus of research is on the genetic and immunological causes of epilepsy and mechanism-based individualized treatment and interventions. The goal is a transfer of new scientific findings into clinical care – for a better future for children with epilepsy.

To the Pediatric Epileptology website (in German)
A young healthcare professional wearing a face mask, with the word “Innovate#” visible in the background.

Innovation wards and the nursing service at the Head Clinic

A space for good ideas

Dedicated nursing staff at Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) are not only fundamentally changing established procedures but also significantly improving them with their concept of “innovation wards.” This is a nursing success story – one worth emulating.

Could Robin Krüger, David Eichstädter, and Jan-Hendrik Träger have imagined in 2020 how successful their idea would become? Probably not. Yet, five years and two awards later, the UKHD now has ten innovation wards across three clinics – not just Neurology 6, which was the first “innovation ward for nursing.” Today, hospital teams from Tübingen, Ludwigshafen, Wiesloch, Nuremberg, Bremen, and Vienna are asking how nursing care is being redesigned in Heidelberg.

It all began in 2019, when the three nurses felt compelled to act. Wanting to develop constructive solutions to the challenges in their profession, they founded the “New Nursing” working group outside their regular working hours. Their aim was to exchange ideas with colleagues and jointly develop concepts for improvement.

Today, there are ten innovation wards at the UKHD – eight located in various wards within the Head Clinic, one in the intensive care unit of the Orthopedics Clinic, and another in the Medical Clinic on the NCT ward.

Pilot project launched in fall 2020

The resulting innovation ward concept was well received by the then Director of Nursing, Edgar Reisch, by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wick, Medical Director of Neurology, and by Christine Faschingbauer, Head of Nursing at the Head Clinic. Together, they made a pilot project possible: in 2020, an empty ten-bed ward became the UKHD’s first “innovation space for nursing.”

Silvia Gröger explains what this entails. The nurse, who holds a degree in health services research and implementation science, is responsible – together with Christina Stang – for establishing the innovation wards within the Department of Nursing Development, Nursing Science, and Innovation Management. “An innovation ward is an interprofessional working environment,” Gröger says. “It incorporates nursing, medical, and therapeutic perspectives.” Each ward features an innovation board where everyone can share or adopt ideas. “At least once a week, all professional groups and hierarchical levels meet for 15 minutes to discuss the current projects.”

Ward corridor: In the foreground, a group of medical professionals stands around a trolley with a laptop. In the background, others in white coats can be seen, blurred, gathered around an IV stand.
Trying out new ideas together – this is what the innovation wards make possible. UKHD has already received two awards for its innovation ward concept: the 2021 Nursing Award from the German Society of Neurology and the 2024 Theodor Fliedner Medal.

The focus is on the added value of an idea

What matters most about an idea is its benefit to patients. The professional group or hierarchical level of the person who proposed it is secondary. One example is the introduction of telephones for all professional groups on a ward. Previously, only doctors and shift supervisors had telephones, which often led to information gaps and an overload of supervisory staff. Now, physicians can contact the responsible nurse directly. This speeds and improves communication and enables all nurses to participate in rounds.

In Heidelberg, the innovation wards have clearly proven their worth: “I am thrilled with what the innovation wards are achieving,” says Silvia Gröger, “and with the fact that this stream of ideas never stops!”

Read more about the innovation wards and the nursing service at the Head Clinic!

Portrait

Yvonne Dintelmann

Director of Nursing

“The innovation wards impressively demonstrate what is possible when nursing staff can contribute their ideas – their commitment is making a noticeable difference to our everyday clinical practice.”

Clinical Neurobiology / Pharmacology

Kuner and Monyer – Pioneers from Heidelberg

Success for cutting-edge research in Heidelberg: Prof. Dr. Rohini Kuner and Prof. Dr. Hannah Monyer have each been awarded an ERC Advanced Grant worth €2.5 million. Together with their teams, they are investigating fundamental questions about pain and neurodegenerative diseases.

Professors Rohini Kuner and Hannah Monyer are leading researchers at Heidelberg University's Medical Faculty – and true pioneers. In 2024, they were awarded ERC Advanced Grants. For both of them, this is the second time they have received this grant, which is awarded by the European Research Council to particularly innovative researchers.

Prof. Dr. Rohini Kuner

Director of the Institute of Pharmacology at Heidelberg University’s Medical Faculty

PROFILE

Prof. Dr. Rohini Kuner

Pharmacology, Director of the Institute of Pharmacology at Heidelberg University's Medical Faculty

Research topic: Chronic pain

Initial question: How do the cellular networks involved in pain processing differ from those involved in other sensory perceptions and cognitive functions? How do the networks influence each other? How do previous experiences, fears, and expectations affect pain? What changes in chronic pain and how can this change be reversed?

Research approach: Prof. Dr. Kuner and her team are researching neural networks that process pain perception in relation to mood, experience, fear memory, and expectations. The goal is to identify and analyze the cell networks that distinguish pain from other stimuli and allow it to persist even after the cause has subsided.

Outlook: Building on these research findings, the aim is to determine whether targeted non-invasive methods can help to disrupt neural pain patterns – and thus provide lasting relief from chronic pain.

Awards: including the Leibniz Prize from the German Research Foundation (2023), ERC Advanced Grant (2011 and 2024)

Despite important findings in recent years, it remains an unsolved mystery under what conditions pain becomes chronic. Too many pieces of the puzzle are still missing to understand the big picture.

Prof. Dr. Jonas Tesarz and Prof. Dr. Rohini Kuner smile at the camera. The rows of a lecture hall can be seen blurred in the background.
In the “Medicine in the Evening” lecture series (in German), Prof. Dr. Rohini Kuner and Prof. Dr. Jonas Tesarz, an expert in psychological pain therapy, spoke on the topic of chronic pain. Listen to the podcast “Individualized therapies for chronic pain.” (in German)

PROFILE

Prof. Dr. Hannah Monyer

Neurobiology, Head of the Clinical Neurobiology Cooperation Department at the UKHD Neurological Clinic and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)

Research topic: Memory formation

Initial question: What function do special nerve cells in a crucial region of the brain, the septum, have in controlling memory? What cellular mechanisms are behind the failure of septal neurons? And what role does this loss of function play in the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's?

Research approach: Prof. Dr. Hannah Monyer and her team are investigating how the loss of function of septal neurons affects memory formation. The focus is on defects in energy metabolism as the cause of the high susceptibility of these cells to disruption.

Outlook: The aim is to clarify the role of septal pacemaker cells in the early symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases and to develop new approaches for therapeutic interventions.

Awards: Federal Cross of Merit (1999), Leibniz Prize (2004), Lautenschläger Research Prize (2020), ERC Advanced Grant (2010 and 2024), among others.

Prof. Dr. Hannah Monyer

Head of the Clinical Neurobiology Cooperation Department at the UKHD Neurological Clinic and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)

We know exactly at the molecular level how simple creatures such as flies and worms forget, which receptor is activated in their brains to make room in their memory. It’s different for dementia patients. I want to understand what happens in their brains.

Prof. Dr. Hannah Monyer speaks into a microphone in front of a blackboard – a lecture situation.
Prof. Dr. Hannah Monyer’s life story is just as impressive as her brain and memory research. If you would like to learn more about both, you can listen to her guest appearance on the podcast “Apokalypse & Filterkaffee – Heimspiel” (Apocalypse & Filter Coffee – Home Game). (in German)

Brief introduction

Clinical neurobiology – research into the fundamentals of neural communication

The team at the Department of Clinical Neurobiology is researching how nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other and how these processes influence our thinking, learning, and memory. The focus is on the role of so-called interneurons, which, like conductors in an orchestra, control the activity of other nerve cells and ensure coordinated cooperation.

Particular interest is focused on the synchronization of nerve cells – a process that enables sensory impressions to be linked into an overall picture and complex memory functions to be performed. Disruptions in this neural coordination play a role in neurological diseases such as epilepsy or stroke.

The department is closely networked with Heidelberg University and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and, with its basic research, makes an important contribution to the understanding of brain functions and their disorders.

Visit the website of the Department of Clinical Neurobiology (in German)

Molecular Pharmacology – new approaches in pain research

Chronic pain is often difficult to treat, and conventional painkillers are often not sufficiently effective. The Department of Molecular Pharmacology investigates the underlying mechanisms of pain caused by long-lasting inflammation or cancer.

A particular focus is on the investigation of nerve cells that transmit pain stimuli and their connections in the spinal cord. Using state-of-the-art genetic, electrophysiological, and imaging techniques, the researchers aim to understand how pain signals arise and change over time.

The goal is to develop new therapeutic approaches to alleviate chronic pain in a targeted and effective manner – an important step for patients who have had insufficient treatment options to date.

Visit the Kuner working group website at the MFHD Institute of Pharmacology
Symbolic image for emergencies: flashing blue lights on the roof of an ambulance, seen in profile.

Neuroradiology

Catheter treatment improves outcome after extensive stroke

International study confirms: Even in cases of extensive stroke, treatment using a catheter to open the blocked vessel is successful – and the effects are long-lasting.

Endovascular thrombectomy, i.e., the extraction of a thrombus from the brain vessels by a catheter, has substantially improved acute stroke care. However, patients with extensive brain infarction so far did not undergo this treatment because it was unclear whether the risk of treatment (e.g., intracerebral hemorrhage) outweighs the benefits. An international clinical study led by Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) and Hamburg-Eppendorf University Hospital shows that even in these cases, a special catheter procedure is worthwhile.

A medical professional in a white coat speaks animatedly to a patient. In the background, a monitor displays an MRI image of a head, with the patient blurred out in the background.
After the catheter treatment, patients had a better outcome and a better quality of life than after best medical treatment alone.
9 countries: The TENSION study was conducted in 40 stroke centers in eight European countries and Canada.

Catheter procedure improves blood flow

In endovascular thrombectomy, a fine catheter is inserted into the groin artery and advanced to the brain vessels. There, a tiny wire mesh removes the blood clot that caused the stroke. This restores blood flow and prevents further damage to the brain. Until now, according to international guidelines, catheter treatment has only been used if small amounts of brain tissue were damaged by the stroke.

The European TENSION study, whose long-term results were published in 2024, proves that this treatment also improves long-term outcome in severely affected patients with large infarct volumes. One year after the stroke, patients who were treated with thrombectomy were more mobile, lived more independently, had a better quality of life – and survived more often than those who received best medical treatment.

EU funds study with €6 million

"The TENSION study makes an important contribution to acute stroke care by including these severely affected patients in the endovascular therapy. It impressively demonstrates the immediate benefits of well-designed and internationally conducted studies for patients," says Prof. Dr. Martin Bendszus, principal investigator of the TENSION trial and medical director of the Department of Neuroradiology at UKHD.

The TENSION study (Efficacy and safety of ThrombEctomy iN Stroke with extended leSION and extended time window: a randomized, controlled trial), funded by the European Union with more than €6 million, was conducted in 40 stroke centers in eight European countries and Canada.

Portrit of Prof. Dr. Martin Bendszus.

Prof. Dr. Martin Bendszus

Medical Director of the Department of Neuroradiology at UKHD

Brief introduction

Neuroradiology – high-precision imaging and minimally invasive procedures

The Department of Neuroradiology at Heidelberg University Hospital is specialized in diagnostic imaging and interventional therapy for diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. Using state-of-the-art technology – including six MRI scanners, one CT scanner, and highly specialized angiography equipment – the team performs more than 16,000 MRI and 14,000 CT examinations annually.

A particular focus is on innovative, minimally invasive treatment procedures, for example for aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, or chronic pain. More than 1,200 procedures and 1,100 diagnostic angiographies are performed each year.

In addition, the department offers specialized procedures such as fetal MRI, MR neurography for examining peripheral nerves, and radiation-free dental MRI. Through continuous research and technical development, neuroradiology in Heidelberg ensures the highest diagnostic and therapeutic patient care.

To the neuroradiology website (in German)
Exterior view of the head clinic from an elevated perspective. Trees stand in the foreground in warm evening light.

Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ)

Four wins: KiTZ receives millions in funding

The European program “Fight Kids Cancer” (FKC) is funding four projects at the Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ) with 6.5 million euros. The focus: childhood brain tumors.

Few children develop cancer. That is good. However, it also means that clinical research can only be successful through international collaboration. This also applies to childhood brain tumors, which are the focus of the four projects funded by FKC 2024:

1. SOUP analyzes genetic material from cerebrospinal fluid

The SOUP (Scanning the liquids of pediatric brain tumor patients to personalize treatment) project is developing a molecular, minimally invasive test for brain tumors in children and adolescents. This test will enable the classification of cancer – regardless of whether surgery is performed. Fourteen research centers from seven countries are analyzing genetic fragments in cerebrospinal fluid for this purpose. The results will be used in the planning of operations and therapies. Funding amount: €1,998,000.

2. FIGHT4MB researches medulloblastomas

With centers in Portugal, Spain, and Germany, FIGHT4MB is researching a form of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant tumor in the central nervous system of children and adolescents. Recently, a study at KiTZ helped identify the decisive mutations and cell type that lead to their development. Now the tumors can be grown in the laboratory and vulnerabilities can be identified. Funding amount: €1,678,000.

3. ITCC-BrainTAP tests new therapeutic approaches

Centers from Austria, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany are involved in this program. The goal of BrainTAP is to test 15 therapeutic approaches for combating childhood brain tumors on patient-specific laboratory models in order to then initiate clinical studies. The models are provided by ITCC-P4 gGmbH, which was founded on the initiative of the DKFZ and KiTZ. This should simplify the approval of new drugs. Funding amount: €2,000,000.

4. EUROPE researches ependymomas

In the EUROPE (Exploring unknown relapse origins in paediatric Ependymoma) project, four German and Dutch centers are focusing on ependymomas, the third most common type of malignant brain tumors in children. Tumor examinations are intended to uncover cellular mechanisms in relapses and identify new vulnerabilities in tumor biology, which is important for the development of new drugs. Funding amount: €878,000.

Brief introduction

KiTZ – innovative cancer medicine for children and adolescents

The Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ) is a joint institution of the German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, and Heidelberg University. As a specialized therapy and research center, it combines state-of-the-art cancer medicine with innovative science to develop new treatment options for children and adolescents with cancer and severe blood disorders.

Special attention is paid to personalized medicine: All children, including those with particularly rare or difficult-to-treat tumors for which there are no established treatment methods, receive individualized therapy plans at KiTZ from interdisciplinary teams of experts. Many young patients can participate in clinical trials and thus benefit from new treatment options at an early stage.

KiTZ is committed to quickly translating research findings into clinical application – from diagnosis to treatment to follow-up care.

Visit the website of the Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ)
A doctor with a stethoscope and face mask sits opposite a small child. She is holding a cuddly toy deer, which the child is reaching for. The child is blurred in the background.
© Tobias Schwerdt/ KiTZ

Center for Psychosocial Medicine (ZPM), Department of General Psychiatry, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics

Aggression under the microscope

The Heidelberg Medical Faculty (MFHD) at Heidelberg University is participating in a new Collaborative Research Center (SFB) of the German Research Foundation (DFG). The transregional research project is investigating the biological basis of aggressive behavior in mental health conditions.

How does aggressive behavior develop in people with mental illness? This question is being investigated by the new transregional SFB 379 “Neuropsychobiology of Aggression: A Transdiagnostic Approach to Mental Disorders.” The DFG is funding the interdisciplinary project with around 16 million euros over the next four years.

Here you will find detailed information, contact points, and key facts about the Center for Psychosocial Medicine (ZPM), the Social Neuroscience Section, the Working Group on Personality Disorders.

Focus on a wide range of diseases

The SFB is coordinated by RWTH Aachen University. The MFHD is a co-applicant, as is the Frankfurt Medical Faculty. Co-spokesperson Prof. Dr. Sabine Herpertz, scientist at the MFHD and Medical Director of the Clinic for General Psychiatry at Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD), represents the Heidelberg and Mannheim location with the Central Institute for Mental Health. “We want to better understand why people with mental illnesses sometimes become aggressive – and what role anger or rage and the ability to control oneself play,” explains Prof. Herpertz.

Goals: Prevention and intervention

So far, little is known about the processes that cause people with mental illness to react aggressively. The research team is therefore investigating many levels – from genetic predispositions and biological processes in cells to hormones, brain activity, and interpersonal behavior.

The aim of the research is to identify typical biological characteristics associated with aggressive behavior. This should help to develop prevention and treatment options tailored to the individual needs of those affected.

Portrait of Prof. Dr. Sabine Herpertz

Prof. Dr. Sabine Herpertz

Scientist at the MFHD and Medical Director of the Clinic for General Psychiatry at the UKHD

Brief introduction

Psychiatry – holistic treatment and research for mental health

The Clinic for General Psychiatry at the UKHD combines state-of-the-art diagnostics, individualized therapy approaches, and innovative research to comprehensively understand and treat mental illness. Both biological and psychosocial factors are taken into account to ensure holistic care.

A particular focus is placed on researching the neurobiological basis of mental illnesses, such as affective disorders, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, and illness-related aggressive behavior. Using state-of-the-art imaging and neurophysiological methods, brain functions are examined in order to better understand individual disease mechanisms and develop targeted therapeutic approaches tailored to individual patients.

In addition to inpatient, day clinic, and outpatient services, including home treatment, the clinic offers specialized consultation hours, a memory clinic, and interdisciplinary programs for the early detection and treatment of psychiatric disorders.

Visit the website of the Department of General Psychiatry
View of the general psychiatry building.
Practical exercise in the skills lab: a young man wearing white gloves holds a long needle to a model of a human back.

Skills Lab in Medical Education

Practice realistically, apply confidently

Medical students practice lumbar puncture – a key technique in neurology – in the Skills Lab.

Lumbar puncture is an important diagnostic technique in neurology: it provides valuable information in diseases such as multiple sclerosis, inflammation of the brain, or certain forms of cancer. It is also playing an increasingly important role in modern research, for example in so-called liquid biopsies, where cerebrospinal fluid is examined for genetic signatures of diseases. It is therefore an indispensable tool for prospective doctors. Until a few years ago, it was only taught theoretically in medical school.

The Heidelberg Medical Faculty therefore introduced the Lumbar Puncture Skills Lab – a practical training unit that is part of the four-week neurology module. “Many students previously had great uncertainties about this technique,” says Prof. Dr. Jan Purrucker, who oversees the format together with colleagues from the Clinic for Neuroradiology. “With the Skills Lab, we can prepare them much better for their practical work.”

In the Skills Lab, students practice in small groups on two realistic models: an anatomical model of the spine and a puncture trainer into which a needle can be inserted. They learn how the spinal cord membrane is structured, how to hold the puncture needle correctly, and get a feel for the situation. Experienced instructors supervise the exercises and provide direct feedback.

What is a lumbar puncture?

In a lumbar puncture, a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is taken from the lower back using a fine needle. This fluid surrounds the brain and spinal cord. It provides important information about neurological diseases – for example, whether there is inflammation, an autoimmune disease, or a tumor affecting the central nervous system.

Thanks to new procedures – such as the so-called liquid biopsy – the fluid can now also be examined for genetic changes. Lumbar puncture is thus increasingly becoming a tool of modern, personalized medicine.

A group of students look at a model of the human spine together. In the foreground, a student leans over a back model with concentration. Next to him are a bottle of disinfectant and a medical professional in a white coat.
Practical training: In the skills lab, medical students learn how to extract cerebrospinal fluid using a fine needle.

Brief introduction

Heidelberg cerebrospinal fluid laboratory – expertise at the highest level

The cerebrospinal fluid laboratory at Heidelberg University Hospital's Department of Neurology is one of the leading facilities of its kind in Germany. It is certified as a training laboratory by the German Society for Cerebrospinal Fluid Diagnostics and Clinical Neurochemistry (DGLN) and has specialized in the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid for many years.

Around 4,000 samples per year are examined here – including for cells, proteins, signs of inflammation, and tumor markers. Modern molecular methods are also used, for example to search for genetic changes in brain tumors (liquid biopsy) or in rare autoimmune diseases.

Previous Page Creating excellence together Next Page A matter of the heart