INP researcher Sander Bekeschus takes up professorship at University Medicine Rostock with focus on plasma medicine

Greifswald/Rostock, 04 August 2023

Dr. Sander Bekeschus, researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), was appointed W1 Professor for Translational Plasma Research at the University Medicine Rostock on 15 July 2023. Prof. Dr. Klaus-Dieter Weltmann, Director of the INP, is pleased about the associated even closer cooperation with the Dermatological University Clinic in Rostock led by Prof. Dr. med. Steffen Emmert and hopes that this will further strengthen the interdisciplinary cooperation between the two institutions in the field of plasma medicine. Bekeschus will expand his research approaches on the use of cold atmospheric pressure plasma in medicine in both Greifswald and Rostock.

Prof. Dr. Sander Bekeschus comments: "I am very honoured by the call from the University Medicine Rostock. This will allow us to deepen the cooperation between the Rostock clinic and the INP in the long term. In addition to the proven application of physical plasma in wound healing, plasma medicine has enormous potential, among other things as an accompanying measure in cancer therapy. I look forward to being able to further intensify this research in the future through my professorship and thank my sponsors and supporters."

Since 2016, the 38-year-old scientist has headed the research group "Plasma Redox Effects", which was established in the Centre for Innovation Competence (ZIK) "plasmatis - Plasma plus Cell" funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) since 2009 and has been consolidated at INP. In this research group, the basic principles and mechanisms of action of established clinical plasma therapy are investigated as well as new medical fields of application of plasma technology, for example in immuno-oncology. After studying human biology, Sander Bekeschus completed his doctorate in immunology at the University of Greifswald. In 2021, he received the "Early Career Award" of the International Society for Plasma Medicine (ISPM) and the "Young Investigator Award" of the Society for Free Radical Research International (SFRR-I). He is also a board member of the National Centre for Plasma Medicine e.V. (NZPM).

Following the appointment of Prof. Dr. Thomas von Woedtke to the world's first professorship for plasma medicine at Greifswald University Medical Centre in 2011, this is now the second professorship in this field. This clearly manifests the outstanding position of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in this field of research.

Further Information

Stefan Gerhardt // Communication Department
Tel.: +49 3834 554 3903 // stefan.gerhardtinp-greifswaldde
Felix-Hausdorff-Straße 2 // 17489 Greifswald //www.leibniz-inp.de