What is physics doing in medicine? - Presentation of the new Max-Planck-Zentrum
Why is it a good idea for physicists to work on medical issues? Prof. Dr. Jochen Guck, Director of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL), will give a public lecture on the topic "What is Physics doing in Medicine? - Introducing the new Max-Planck-Zentrum" on Monday, February 6, 2023.
The physicist also heads of the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin (MPZPM), a joint research center of MPL, the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and the Universitätsklinikum Erlangen (UKER). In his lecture, Prof. Guck will address the extent to which medicine makes use of physical phenomena. The public lecture, delivered in German will take place from 6:15 p.m. in the (Medicine) lecture halls , Ulmenweg 18 in Erlangen. Admission is free and registration is not required. Currently, it is mandatory to wear medical mouth-nose protection (surgical mask) at events.
Physics and medicine: most people probably associate this combination with X-rays, ultrasound, computer and magnetic resonance tomography, laser scalpels and robot-assisted surgery. In all these examples, physics serves medicine by harnessing scientific phenomena to develop better tools for diagnosis and treatment. But that's not all: "Studying the physical properties of cells and tissues, for example, offers important new insights into biological processes and their pathological changes. We are currently transferring these findings into clinical practice," explains Prof. Guck.
The research of the MPZPM is to be focused particularly on basic physical research into major medical problems such as cancer, resistant bacteria, neurological diseases or even long/post COVID. In 2024, the MPZPM's research groups, currently scattered throughout the Huguenot City, are to move into the new building on the grounds of the Erlangen University Hospital.
