TU Dresden honors Prof. Michael Albrecht and Prof. Gerhard Ehninger for their outstanding achievements

On May 22 TU Dresden honored Prof. Dr. Michael Albrecht, Medical Director of the University Hospital Dresden until the end of 2024, and Prof. Dr. Gerhard Ehninger, Director of the Medical Clinic I of the University Hospital Dresden until 2018, for their extraordinary services to the university. Dr. Monika Valtink was honored together with colleagues for her commitment to interdisciplinary gender research at the TUD.

© Crispin-Iven Mokry

Prof. Michael Albrecht was awarded the title of Honorary Senator of the TUD by resolution of the Senate of the TUD for his outstanding commitment to the Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine and Dresden University Medicine. His impulses for cancer research, medical informatics and medical education have significantly strengthened the national and international visibility of the TUD.

"For more than three decades, Professor Albrecht was a driving force behind the development and expansion of University Medicine Dresden. First as Dean of Studies, later as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and then for 23 years as Medical Director of the University Hospital, he initiated developments that are now considered a model for other locations," said Prof. Esther Troost, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, summing up his life's work.

It had always been his goal not to think of research, teaching and patient care alongside each other, but as an interlocking whole. "His outstanding achievements include the establishment of interdisciplinary care and research structures. The establishment of the University Cancer Center (UCC) as Germany's first Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2003 was a milestone that has been continued since 2015 in the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT/UCC) Dresden."

"Prof. Albrecht also provided decisive impetus in medical informatics," said the Dean in her laudatory speech. In 2016, he was one of the co-founders of the Medical Informatics Initiative, which is funded by the Federal and State governments and aims to make data from healthcare and research more usable for the benefit of patients. "He was also instrumental in the successful acquisition of the first Else-Kröner Fresenius Center for Digital Health in Dresden."

Last but not least, Michael Albrecht was committed to the education of students. "With his help, a network of doctors in private practice and all 35 regional hospitals in the vicinity of Dresden University Medicine was created, which has given students of human medicine and dentistry the opportunity to gain valuable practical experience for many years."

© Crispin-Iven Mokry

Prof. Gerhard Ehninger, another TUD doctor, was honored for his exceptional achievements - both in his field of haematology and for the development of cutting-edge medical research and his social commitment. He received the TUD Medal of Honor for this.

"In his role as Director of Medical Clinic I, Prof. Ehninger has not only revolutionized patient care, but has also built up university medicine at TU Dresden into an international center of excellence for haematology and oncology," emphasized Prof. Angela Rösen-Wolff, Vice-Rector Research at TUD, in her laudatory speech.

"Prof. Ehninger introduced stem cell transplantation in Dresden, which has saved the lives of thousands of blood cancer patients," explained Angela Rösen Wolff. She referred to his initiative to found the German Bone Marrow Donor Center (DKMS), which saved the lives of countless blood cancer patients, as well as his significant involvement in the establishment and further development of the University Cancer Center (UCC). "Even after his retirement, Prof. Ehninger devoted himself intensively to the development of novel cancer therapies. His work on genetically modified immune cells that fight leukemia cells is particularly noteworthy."

Gerhard Ehninger also drove forward the infrastructural development of Dresden University Medicine. "Thanks to his initiative, new buildings with integrated research areas could be realized and excellent medical care guaranteed, which also sets international standards."

In 2015, Gerhard Ehninger established the Cellex Foundation as an important catalyst for medical innovation and social change. Its particular focus is on the rapid transfer of promising research results into clinical practice.

"However, Professor Ehninger's work goes far beyond his professional achievements. At a time when Dresden was facing major social challenges, he showed what it means to take responsibility. His involvement in the 'Dresden - Place to be' association and the 'Dresden isst bunt' initiative are examples of his tireless commitment to social cohesion," she explained.

"His ability to take the initiative at critical moments, his willingness to use personal resources for the common good and his courage to take a clear stance when others were still hesitant have not only saved lives and made careers possible - they have had a lasting impact on the character of our university and our city."

© Crispin-Iven Mokry

Dr. Monika Valtink, Head of the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Management Staff Unit at the Faculty of Medicine and Deputy Equal Opportunities Officer at TU Dresden, also received a badge of honor for her commitment to science, teaching and knowledge transfer and exchange that goes beyond her official duties. Together with Prof. Dr. Maria Häusl and Prof. Dr. Cornelia Breitkopf, she was instrumental in founding the GenderConceptGroup (GCG) to give gender research at TUD more visibility.

In cooperation with the School of Engineering Sciences and the School of Medicine, the GCG organizes the "Gender Lectures", the aim of which is to discuss the relevance of gender studies in numerous disciplines and to enable current topics in gender studies to be offered as a continuous course at TUD.

Further information on today's awards:
TU Dresden press release
Honorary Senatorship of the TUD
Medal of Honor of the TUD

Contact:
Anne-Stephanie Vetter
Staff Unit Public Relations Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine
of the TUD Dresden University of Technology
National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT/UCC) Dresden
+49 (0) 351 458 17903

www.tu-dresden.de/med