Eine Person gibt Daten in einen Computer ein
© RUB, Marquard

News from the Faculty of Medicine in Bochum

Here you will find the latest news and press releases from the Faculty of Medicine at Ruhr University Bochum.

For older press releases, please take a look at our archive. Do you have questions about our faculty or would you like to report on us? Here you will find our press contact.

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St. Josef Hospital is part of the University Hospital of Ruhr University Bochum. The photograph shows the hospital’s main entrance.
©RUB, Kramer

Brain changes identified in rare muscle disease

Research

A Bochum research team has identified an enlargement of the choroid plexus in people with myotonic dystrophy for the first time. The findings offer new insights into possible disease mechanisms in the brain.

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Britta Majchrzak-Stiller retrieves the frozen cells from cold storage, which can be used to grow organoids.
©RUB, Marquard

Organoids help identify effective cancer treatments

Research

Researchers in Bochum are growing organoids from patients’ own pancreatic cancer cells to test cancer drugs. The frozen cell lines could pave the way for personalised treatments and help reduce the number of animals used in experiments.

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The image shows an empty hospital bed in a hospital room.
© RUB, Kramer

New Research Training Group investigates Sepsis

Research

How does sepsis develop, why is it particularly severe in some people, and what long-term effects can it have? At the Graute-Oppermann Research Training Group, 17 doctoral researchers are investigating these questions together, with researchers from Ruhr University Bochum also involved.

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In the foreground of the image, a hand is seen raising a full beer glass into the air. The background is the RUB-Blue colour.

How Healthy is Moderate Alcohol Consumption really?

Research

Is moderate alcohol consumption truly good for the heart? Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum show that reported health benefits often rest on methodological flaws and statistical bias.

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Award ceremony at Viszeralmedizin 2026 (from left): Dr Peter Neckel (Second Vice-President of the German Society for Neurogastroenterology and Motility), Dr Hanna Öhlmann (award recipient), Dr Kerstin Maehder (award recipient), and Dr Jutta Keller (Steering Committee, Chair of the Research Section, European Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility).
©Steffen Runke – Die Bildermanufaktur

How Fear Influences Pain Perception

Research

Hanna Öhlmann receives an award from the German Society for Gastroenterology, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (DGVS) for her research on pain perception in inflammatory bowel disease.

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The picture shows three-dimensional “miniature muscles”. They are only about five millimeters long.
©Bergmannsheil

Miniature Muscles Advance Research into Rare Diseases

Research

A new lab system at BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil grows three-dimensional muscle organoids. Researchers use these miniature models to analyze disease mechanisms and test innovative therapies.

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Pictured (from left) are Prof. Dr Roland Schroers, Head of the Department of Haematology, Oncology and Stem Cell/Immunotherapy at Knappschaft Kliniken University Hospital Bochum, Prof. Dr Ralf Gold, Medical Director, and Prof. Dr Jeremias Motte, Managing Senior Physician at the Department of Neurology at St. Josef-Hospital Bochum.
©Katholisches Klinikum Bochum

CAR T-cell therapy shows lasting effects in myasthenia gravis

Research

Bochum University Medicine is among the pioneers of CAR T-cell therapy for myasthenia gravis. New long-term data show that the effects of a single treatment can persist for years in the patients studied.

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The portrait shows Dr Felix Kleefeld holding his award.
© BG Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil

Research on Rare Muscle Disease Wins Award

Research

PD Dr Felix Kleefeld has received the 2026 Felix Jerusalem Prize for his research into inclusion body myositis. His findings reveal early mitochondrial damage and could open new avenues for treatment.

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The replication cycle of the hepatitis E virus can be seen on the computer.
© Molekulare und Medizinische Virologie

Why Hepatitis E Virus cannot infect Mice

Research

Researchers from Bochum have discovered why mice are resistant to hepatitis E virus infection: The key barrier occurs when the virus enters cells, providing new insights into how viruses adapt to different host species.

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This image is a Portrait of Dr. Christina Scheel
© Katholisches Klinikum Bochum

Melanoma Research Advances Personalized Immunotherapy

Research

A research project led by Dr. Christina Scheel explores how melanoma cells evade the immune system and why immunotherapies fail in some patients. The aim is to develop a test that better predicts treatment response and supports more individualized therapy decisions.

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On this image you can see Prof. Dr. Gebert
© RUB, Marquard

Alzheimer Biomarker P-tau217 shows Early Limitations

Research

The biomarker p-tau217 is considered promising for early Alzheimer’s detection but shows surprisingly weak performance in preclinical stages. The study led by Prof. Dr. Gerwert challenges current assumptions and may influence the development of future diagnostic approaches.

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Prof. Dr. Holm Zähres (left) and Dr. Karthik Divvela examine a muscle organoid that has grown as a spherical aggregate.
© RUB, Marquard

Muscle Organoids Offer New Insights into Muscle Diseases

Research

Researchers in Bochum are developing muscle organoids that closely mimic human muscle tissue. This approach opens new ways to study diseases and test therapies more precisely, marking an important step toward personalized medicine.

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