Helmut Friess

Prof. Helmut Friess

Professor of Surgery. Director of the Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Germany.

Since 2007, while serving as director, Prof. Friess has continued to be an active clinician and researcher. His primary research interests include the mechanisms of molecular development and the influence of growth factors on the aggressivity of pancreatic carcinoma and developments in pancreatic surgery.

Professor Friess received his medical degree at the University of Ulm (Director Prof. H. G. Beger) and received postdoctoral training in the laboratory of Prof. Murray Korc at the University of California at Irvine, USA, from 1992 to 1993. He acquired his tenure review (Habilitation) at the University of Berne, Switzerland, in 1998 in the Department of Visceral and Transplantation Surgery (Director Prof. M. W. Büchler). After a medical internship and residency at the Inselspital of the University of Berne, Switzerland, he worked as vice chairman at the University Hospital in Heidelberg from 2001 to 2007 (Director Prof. M. W. Büchler). 

He has published more than 1000 articles in scientific journals, received several awards (such as the Dr. Hella Bühler Price for Oncologic Research), and is an honorary professor at the R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine. His present H-index is 150 (Jan. 19, 2023). He has served at the Council of European Digestive Surgery (EDS) for more than two decades, currently being the EDS General Secretary.