University of Leipzig Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine

The University of Leipzig Medical Center (ULMC) and the Faculty of Medicine (MFL) form a joint institution committed to excellence in high-performance medicine, medical research and teaching as well as in in- and outpatient healthcare services for patients of the entire region of Western Saxony and beyond. The LUM is committed to provide the highest level of medical care and treatment - as a maximum care hospital, it offers a full range of modern medical services and combines state-of-the-art medicine with outstanding teaching and research. The hospital comprises 29 clinical units and 8 diagnostic institutes organized in 7 departments, closely with the clinical and theoretical institutes in the Faculty of Medicine. With more than 1,400 beds and 104 acute day hospital treatment places, it is one of the largest hospitals in the federal state of Saxony. More than 50.000 patients are treated in inpatient departments and more than 370,000 outpatient visits are performed each year. With more than 6,000 employees, it is also one of the biggest employers in the region.  

Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy

The Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at ULMC (director: Prof. Dr. G. Schomerus) is an internationally recognized leading center for stigma research. It has prolific experience with methodologically innovative population studies on attitudes towards persons with mental illness, help-seeking, mental health literacy and the stigma of substance use disorders. Current studies include the long-term time trend study ‘Evolution of public attitudes towards persons with mental illness’, a DFG-funded study to identify social milieus with low access to mental health care, a DFG-funded study examining online interventions in order to understand and improve help-seeking in persons with currently untreated mental disorders, and a BMG-funded project devoted to designing and disseminating guidelines for non-stigmatizing media reporting of substance use disorders (FairMediaSUCHT).

Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Medicine and Public Health

The Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Medicine and Public Health (ISAP) at the Medical Faculty in Leipzig (Chair: S. Riedel-Heller) researches the intersections between health and society, with a particular focus on public mental health. ISAP addresses a plethora of research issues within the fields of epidemiology, health service research, health promotion and quality of life over the entire life-course. More novel and innovative approaches to health service provision, e.g. E-mental-health and its practical implementation, constitute another central research interest of the institute. 

Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology

Founded in 1994, the Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology (Chair: A. Mehnert-Theuerkauf) has established strong expertise in both epidemiological and clinical research on the distribution, risk factors as well as prognostic factors associated with mental disorders and psychological symptom burden in at-risk-populations. The department’s research focus includes e.g. suicide research, psychotraumatology and migration research, psychometrics and quality-of-life research, psychooncology, as well as studies into young adults with cancer, survivorship, and societal and medical change.

Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy

The Department of Psychosomatic Medicine at ULMC (chair: A. Kersting) focuses on the evaluation of new (particularly online) interventions. It has pioneered narrative internet therapy for persons suffering from traumatic experiences and prolonged grief. The Department currently hosts a DFG-funded study for the treatment of patients with Prolonged Grief Disorder (PROGRID) and is currently investigating internet-based therapies for physicians with traumatic work-related experiences (IPSA). Other lines of research include eating disorders and peripartum mental health, a self-help application for refugees (HELP@APP), and internet therapy after cancer-related loss of a relative. Another methodological focus is on eye tracking in relation to recognizing emotional facial expressions and processes of early and late attention allocation to emotional information in clinical depression and alexithymia.

Department of Pediatric Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics

Research at the Department of Pediatric Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University of Leipzig Medical Center (Chair: K. von Klitzing) is devoted to forms and courses of mental suffering in the context of human development (developmental psychopathology), most notably childhood depression, early adversities and psychotherapeutic interventions for children with internalizing disorders and their families. Study is oriented towards observable manifestations of mental disorders in childhood and adolescence and focuses in particular on the interactions of biological, social and psychological factors in disease pathogenesis.