Our focus is on the future technology of robotics and artificial intelligence, which we are driving forward together in order to develop innovative solutions for the healthcare sector. At CURAC, we bring together experts from research, industry and clinics to accelerate medical progress through technological innovation. Find out how our expertise in robotics and AI is revolutionizing medicine and improving the lives of patients in the long term.
We are the leading society for the interdisciplinary networking of engineering sciences and medicine in Germany.
What we do
The German Society for Computer- and Robot-Assisted Surgery (CURAC) supports scientific research and its practical implementation in the field of computer- and robot-assisted surgery.
Relations between
- surgery
- information technology
- engineering sciences and adjacent fields and
- domestic and foreign medical specialist societies
are established and deepened.
At the annual CURAC meeting, the current research results of German institutes in this field are presented and new research fields and goals are discussed and defined. Subsequently, the CURAC members work in different work groups to realize these goals. Working groups an der Umsetzung dieser Ziele.
The CURAC follows a mission.
Our mission statement
CURAC is designed to handle constructively surgical research questions which helps to applicate research approaches to patient well-being and into clinical use, with the help of computer- and robot-assisted surgery
As engineering scientists and medical researchers, society expects us to develop disruptive solutions that go beyond the current thinking and the practice of clinical routine but also in industry. In the public eye, modern computer- and robot-assisted treatment approaches are often perceived as already available. Excessive expectations of the new "high-tech" treatment methods are fueled. However, the path from basic research to clinical application is complex and risky and often requires long periods of time. New diagnostic and treatment methods must be transferred into clinical routine in order to achieve sustainable improvements for patients and society and to enable acquisition of scientific knowledge. Translation is very complex and requires teams of engineers, clinicians and pre-clinicians, statisticians, health economists, sociologists, and ethicists. Their cooperation must be ensured financially and by infrastructure for longer periods of time. Only if we manage to bring our ideas to the clinic we will remain relevant to the clinical disciplines.
To motivate, to accompany and to critically analyze this translation process, that should be the aim of our scientific society. In this sense, we must already reflect today what may come after the solutions propagated by us.
Promoting translational research in academia requires courage and risk-taking. Courage to go for ways that have not yet gone and risk-taking to fail. This not only applies to us researchers themselves, but also to our deans and presidents, our universities and society that ultimately funds the research. Only with courage and risk-taking will we gain new insights, develop better medical procedures and contribute to growth and innovation.
Our CURAC can and should play a pioneering role here and support all of us in contributing further and deeper into our research into translational claims.
Struktur der CURAC
The society is composed of
Steering committee
The steering committee consists of the executive board and the scientific advisory board.
Members
Anyone who is either scientifically or practically involved in computer- and robot-assisted surgery or therapy or who is interested in the topic can become a member of CURAC.
Become a member
Working groups
The CURAC supports working groups that deal with special issues or concerns of the society. Interested CURAC members may actively participate in the working groups.
see working groups
President
Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Klenzner
Klinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf
Vice President for Public Relations
Prof. Dr. Franziska Mathis-Ullrich
Dep. Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering (AIBE)
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Vice President for Research
Prof. Dr. med. Dirk Wilhelm
Klinik und Poliklinik für Chirurgie, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, München
Treasurer
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Oliver Burgert
Forschungszentrum Computer Assisted Medicine (CaMed), Hochschule Reutlingen
Secretary
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Georg Rauter
Medizinische Robotik und Mechatronik am Departement Biomedical Engineering der Universität Basel
Past President (2017 - 2019)
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Weber
ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research,
Universität Bern
Prof. Dr. med. Florian Dammann
Radiologie, Inselspital, Universitätsklinik Bern, Schweiz
Jun. Prof. Dr. Sandy Engelhardt
AG Künstliche Intelligenz in der Kardiovaskulären Medizin, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
PD Dr. Tobias Huber
Universitätsmedizin Johannes Gutenberg Universität Klinik u. Poliklinik f. Allgemein-Viszeral- u. Transplantationschirurgie
Dr.-Ing. Lüder Alexander Kahrs
Institut für Mechatronische Systeme, Leibniz Universität Hannover
Prof. Dr. med. Sven Rainer Kantelhardt
Ärztlicher Direktor Klinikum im Friedrichshain, Chefarzt Klinik für Neurochirurgie
Dr. Christian Kunz
Dep. Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering (AIBE), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Prof. Dr. med. Wolfram Lamadé
Chefarzt, Klinik für Allgemein-, Viszeral- und Gefäßchirurgie, Helios Klinikum Pforzheim GmbH
Prof. Dr. med. Dirk Lindner
Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinik Leipzig
Prof. Dr. med. Beat Müller
Klinik für Allgemein-, Viszeral- und Transplantationschirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
Prof. Dr. med. Arya Nabavi MaHM
Neurochirurgische Klinik, Klinikum Nordstadt, Hannover
Prof. Dr. Thomas Neumuth
Innovation Center Computer Assisted Surgery (ICCAS), Universität Leipzig
PD Dr. Sylvia Saalfeld
Forschungsgruppe Bildverarbeitung/ Visualisierung und Deep Learning am Forschungscampus STIMULATE in Magdeburg
Prof. Dr. Alexander Schlaefer
Institute of Medical Technology and Intelligent Systems, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH)
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Armin Schneider
JADE Hochschule, Wilhelmshaven
Prof. Dr. med. Patrick Schuler
Klinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde am Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
Prof. Dr. Stefanie Speidel
Nationale Centrum für Tumorerkrankungen Dresden (NCT/UCC), Translationale Chirurgische Onkologie
Dr. Jana Steger
Institut für Minimal-invasive Interdisziplinäre Therapeutische Intervention, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München
Ehrenpräsident
Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h. c. mult. Madjid Samii
International Neuroscience Institute (INI)
Ehrenmitglied
Prof. Dr. Ron Kikinis
Brigham and Womans Hospital Boston
Ehrenmitglied
Prof. Dr. med. Rudolf Fahlbusch
International Neuroscience Institute (INI), Hannover
Ehrenmitglied
Prof. Dr. med. Hubertus Feußner
Klinikum rechts der Isar, München
Working groups
The technical work in the CURAC is realized by working groups. Interested CURAC members, who wish to actively participate in these working groups, are asked to contact the respective head of the working group.
Based on the lively participation of young scientists in the Junior Panel at the last CURAC Annual Conference 2023, we,
- Dr. Jana Steger, Institute for Minimally Invasive Interdisciplinary Therapeutic Intervention, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, contact: jana.steger@tum.de
- Lars Wagner, Institute for Minimally Invasive Interdisciplinary Therapeutic Intervention, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, contact: lars.wagner@tum.de
- Dr. Christian Kunz, Health Robotics and Automation Lab, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, contact: christian.kunz@fau.de
founded the “Young Surgineers” working group.
By developing a deeper understanding of the possibilities, needs and limitations of each other's disciplines, the working group aims to create a space for identifying medical technology problems and jointly developing new solutions.
With the “Young Surgineers” we would like to offer the young scientists in our community a platform for networking and dialog, be it on general questions relating to the topic of doctorates and personal careers in science, clinics or industry, on their own research, or even on further research projects and the search for fellow campaigners (publications, applications, etc.).
All interested scientists (postdocs, professors, etc.) from the CURAC community are welcome to participate. However, the special focus of our working group should be on the young scientists among us.
The first planned meeting will take place as part of a workshop day on 23.08.2023 in Basel, and will provide a direct technical and thematic introduction to the CURAC Annual Conference (24.08.2023-26.08.2023). Participation in the workshop is free of charge and therefore does not entitle the participant to attend the CURAC Annual Conference. Registration for the workshop is possible via the CURAC Annual Conference website.
As part of our workshop, we first want to present our respective research priorities in focus groups and work out concepts where synergies can be identified and further developed into joint, new research ideas.
We would like to end the day with a dinner together with you.
If you are interested in the “Young Surgineers” working group or our workshop, you are welcome to contact us at any time using the e-mail addresses provided. We look forward to a lively participation and to getting to know you!
Information material for public relations
The CURAC logo can be downloaded here.
EN 
DE