Inaugural lectures by Univ. Prof. Dr. Clemens A. Schmitt (Department of Hematology and Internal Oncology), Univ.-Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Högler (Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine), and Univ. Prof. Dr. Tobias Gotterbarm (Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology) covered a range of topics from mutated genes and uncontrolled cell growth to skeletal health, cartilage damage, arthritis and artificial joints.

The Faculty of Medicine at the Johannes Kepler University Linz is a once-in-a-lifetime project. The faculty’s success can be attributed to the expertise and passion of many people working together to create a top medical school. Three top-caliber physicians will join the faculty, contributing their expertise to education in medicine. The three new professors recently held their inaugural lectures at the Faculty Medicine.

JKU Rector Meinhard Lukas remarked, “The Johannes Kepler University has attracted three outstanding and accomplished physicians who are among the top in their fields of science and research. We are proud to welcome Univ. Prof. Dr. Clemens Schmitt, Univ. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Högler and Dr. Tobias Gotterbarm. I am confident they will set important accents in teaching and research. These three high-caliber medical professionals are another milestone in developing the Faculty of Medicine.”

Top Research in Medicine
Prof. Clemens Schmitt is a world-renowned, internationally recognized oncologist and scientist from Berlin Charité. He came to the JKU’s Faculty of Medicine on January 1, 2019, and heads the Department of Hematology and Internal Oncology at the JKU. He is also head of the department of the same name at the Kepler University Hospital. His inaugural lecture focused on mutated genes and uncontrolled cell growth. He spoke about advancements in fighting tumor cells with references to Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew”. Above all, he believes his work should aim to combat all of cancer’s weak points in order to cure people. He emphasized milestone achievements and the hope new targeted drugs bring to many cancer patients. At the same time, however, he emphasized the tremendous mutability of malignant cells:  “When modern, targeted treatments target tumor cells, these cells often find the molecular ‘loophole’ to escape the attack.” Therefore, explained the haemato-oncologist, it is so important to better understand cell biology in order to not only attack targeted individual gene mutations but tumor specific biological vulnerabilities. Schmitt added that addressing these kinds of concepts is currently in the planning stages at in his department at the Kepler University Hospital.

Originally from Heidelberg, University Professor Dr. Tobias Gotterbarm is now at the Faculty of Medicine in Linz. His inaugural lecture focused on today’s challenges of treating cartilage damage, osteoarthritis and artificial joints. Prof. Gotterbarm remarked, “I am pleased to be a part of this dynamic young medical school as one of its founding professors.” His scientific interests include clinical studies in endoprosthetics and applied basic research, such as mesenchymal stem cells.

Another world-renowned physician in the field of pediatric and adolescent medicine joined the Faculty of Medicine last September: Univ. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Högler. Prof. Högler remarked, “The key to innovative therapies and treatments is to learn to understand disease mechanisms. I have created the Linz Center of Rare Diseases and the translational research we conduct there will make important contributions.” His research interests include patho-psychology and managing rare bone and growth disorders as well as vitamin D disorders and growth hormone /IGF-1 metabolism. His lecture focused on skeletal health.

Space for Medicine
Christine Haberland, Minister for Health and Education, remarked that the JKU has also created “Space for Medicine” and since then, great work is being done together with the Kepler University Hospital. Minister Haberland added, “Every five minutes we learn more about medicine. Keeping pace with the expansion of knowledge at this unbelievable speed is particularly challenging, especially in the classroom. I strongly believe that these three professors giving their inaugural lectures today not only bring a high degree of professional competence with them, but also the willingness to actively and creatively participate in developing the Faculty of Medicine, making the best possible use of an optimistic spirit.”

Andrea Olschewski, JKU Vice-Rector for Medicine, considers the newly appointed professors as a significant advancement of personalized medicine at the Faculty of Medicine and at the Kepler University Hospital. “Both young physicians and patients alike will benefit from the research and teaching conducted by these newly appointed professors. New treatment and therapy concepts help patients to find what works for them faster, making healthcare a more efficient process.”