The Faculty of Health's Research Day transformed the UW/H into a lively marketplace of ideas - for the 20th time! Scientists, young researchers, students and practice partners came together and exchanged ideas on a wide range of topics.

After a warm welcome by Prof. Dr. Petra Thürmann, Vice President for Research at the UW/H, Prof. Dr. Florian Kreppel, Vice Dean for Research at the Faculty of Health, led through the varied program. With a sure instinct, he connected the individual program points with each other and repeatedly made the common thread visible: research at the UW/H is interdisciplinary, practical and thrives on dialogue.

The diversity of research at the Faculty of Health was demonstrated in various formats over the course of the day.

Scientists presented current health research projects in the plenary sessions. The short presentations illustrated the range of topics, methods and perspectives - from clinical issues and psychosocial aspects to innovative approaches to care.

The program was complemented by the Thesis Corner, which was once again one of the highlights of the morning. Young scientists were able to talk directly to the audience, present their research projects in poster form and receive valuable feedback. The subsequent vote and the presentation by the winner Loreen Scholleck ("Repurposing farnesyltransferase inhibitors as host-protective agents in a Caenorhabditis elegans infection model") made it clear: science thrives on comprehensible communication.

The poster presentations also provided space for in-depth professional exchange. In personal discussions, projects were explained, ideas were developed further and initial points of contact for future collaborations were established.

In the afternoon, the anniversary took center stage with the program item "A selection of good science". The invited lectures covered a dense and inspiring range of topics:

• Prof. Dr. Gisa Ellrichmann-Wilms presented current projects from neurology at Dortmund Hospital under the title "Curiosity meets science".
• Prof. Dr. Susanne Bücker shed light on loneliness in childhood and adolescence from a developmental psychology perspective with "No small problem".
• Prof. Dr. Jan Postberg provided fascinating insights into molecular mother-child communication through breast milk and the role of microRNAs.
• Prof. Dr. Achim Mortsiefer and Dr. Christine Kersting presented work from general medicine and underlined its importance for healthcare practice.

Networking that works

What particularly characterized the Research Day was the concrete added value of the exchange. Again and again, presentations led to direct discussions from which new perspectives emerged. For example, after a presentation on a specific clinical picture, a participant reported similar symptoms in a different context - a starting point for further joint considerations. In another case, a lecturer was able to make direct contact with a group with an acute need for support, which was ideal for a planned survey.

Special moments were the award ceremonies, which honored outstanding scientific achievements.

The doctoral prizes (endowed with 150 euros each) were awarded to:

• PhD Prize Dr. phil. (Psychology):
  Larissa Alice Kubek
  "Diagnostics of Sleep Disorders and Sleep Problems in Children and Adolescents with Life-Limiting Conditions"
• PhD Prize in Nursing Sciences:
  Mike Rommerskirch-Manietta
  "Development of an instrument for assessing preferences for leisure activities of people receiving adult day services - a concept mapping"
• PhD Prize Dr. rer. nat./PhD Biomedicine:
  Julian Rembe
  "Breakdown, Identification and Observations of the Micro-Environment in Acute and Chronic Wounds (Wound-BIOME Project) - Proteomic and Immunomarker Patterns"
• Doctoral Prize Dr. med.:
  Nora Amelie Bahlmann
  "Properties of Adenovirus Vectors with Increased Affinity to Desmoglein 2 and the Potential Benefits for Oncolytic Approaches and Gene Therapy"
• Doctoral Prize Dr. rer. medic.:
  Tuğba Aksakal
  "Needs-based design of health care by taking into account the diversity of care users using the example of rehabilitation"

The Dentistry Doctoral Prize (500 euros), donated by the Fördergemeinschaft für Zahnmedizin an der UW/H e. V., went to Dr. Laura Benyei for her clinically randomized study "Non-surgical therapy of residual periodontal pockets using Clean & Seal in the context of UPT".

Incidentally, the Fördergemeinschaft Zahnmedizin e. V. is currently looking for new members - a commitment that sustainably strengthens the promotion of young scientists.

The Master's prize was split this year and awarded to two winners (250 euros each), as both theses were judged to be of equal value:

• Master in Psychology
  Johanna Hepp
  "Mortality risk of famous female singers compared to less famous female singers"
• Master in Community Health Nursing
  Bettina Sommer
  "Coping requirements of gestational diabetes in the family context from the perspective of partners and relatives - a qualitative content analysis"

Further prizes were awarded at the end of the day:

• The publication prize "Witten's First" (1,000 euros) went to Dr. Simon Sommer for his publication "Spectrum of Clinical and Imaging Features of Children With GFAP Astrocytopathy" (Neurology - Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation)
• The Short Lecture Prize (200 euros) was awarded to Johannes Mahlmann for the lecture "The selection of outcomes and measurement methods in studies on digital therapeutics"
• The poster prize (200 euros) was awarded to Christopher Kurtek for the poster "Assessing phospholipid traffic during autophagy" .

The research day ended in a relaxed atmosphere with "Soda, Wine & Cheese". Discussions continued, new contacts were made and ideas for future collaborations were spun. The Research Day 2026 impressively demonstrated what the Faculty of Health at UW/H is all about: scientific excellence, interdisciplinary openness and a culture of togetherness. An anniversary that not only looked back - but above all whetted the appetite for the next 20 years of research.