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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
thomas-klenzner
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

Forschungsgruppe 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

Neurochirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz

Dr. Christian Kunz

Health Robotics and Automation Lab, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Prof. Dr. med. Wolfram Lamadé

Allgemein- und Viszeralchirurgie, Helios Spital Überlingen

PD 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.

Bei Interesse an der Arbeitsgruppe der „Young Surgineers“ oder an unserem Workshop könnt ihr euch gerne jederzeit unter den nebenstehenden E-Mailadressen an uns wenden. Wir freuen uns auf eine rege Teilnahme und darauf, euch kennen zu lernen!

Information material for public relations

The CURAC logo can be downloaded here.

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