Neurosurgeon Professor Roland Goldbrunner elected to head the DGCH
01.07.2025 16:15
Professor Dr. Roland Goldbrunner, Director of the Department of Neurosurgery and Managing Director of the Center for Neurosurgery at the University Hospital Cologne, has been elected President of the German Society of Surgery (DGCH) for the 2025/26 term. He will also chair the 143rd annual congress, the German Surgical Congress (DCK 2026), together with the presidents of the German Society for General and Visceral Surgery (DGAV) and the German Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Surgery (DGKJCH).
The congress will take place in Leipzig from April 22 to 24, 2026, and will be held digitally from April 14 to 16, 2026. The theme is "Passion, Precision, Personalization." Goldbrunner succeeds Frankfurt pediatric surgeon Professor Dr. med. Udo Rolle, DGCH President for 2024/2025.
From the perspective of the new president, the DGCH, with its approximately 22,000 associated members, is "on its way to becoming an umbrella organization that should represent all surgical disciplines in Germany," Goldbrunner emphasizes. "This representation must be visible and effective at all political and professional levels – all the way up to the Federal Ministry of Health." He sees his task as consistently and unifyingly driving this path forward.
Cohesion, growth and modernization
For Goldbrunner, three pillars form the foundation for a sustainable DGCH: strong cohesion among the surgical disciplines despite differing interests, targeted growth through the integration of additional professional societies, and a modernization of structures and processes. The statutory reform passed this year was an important step in this direction. "Modernization does not mean a loss of tradition—it means adapting to the challenges of today and tomorrow," Goldbrunner said.
Focus on science and young talent development
Promoting scientific excellence is particularly important to the neurosurgeon. "Compared to other medical disciplines, the scientific visibility of surgery still has room to improve," says Goldbrunner. He calls for greater commitment to translational and clinical research – an area in which the German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC) had already successfully positioned itself under his previous presidency. The DCK is a central platform for raising the visibility of surgical research and the development of young talent.
DCK 2026 in Leipzig: “Passion, Precision, Personalization”
Goldbrunner has chosen "Passion, Precision, Personalization" as the motto for the upcoming congress. The three-part alliteration reflects his approach to surgery: "Our passion for the sick, our surgical precision, and the commitment to making individual treatment decisions in the best interests of the patient are what define the quality of our field."
In addition to new technical developments, the congress will also focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, the promotion of young talent, exchanges with the German Armed Forces, and the importance of organ donation. The host nation is the United Kingdom, with a delegation from the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Professor Dr. Thomas Schmitz-Rixen, Secretary General of the DGCH, says: "I look forward to working together to develop the programmatic development of the DGCH and the DCK."
To person
Professor Dr. Roland Goldbrunner is Director of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital Cologne and Managing Director of the Center for Neurosurgery there. After studying medicine in Regensburg and Würzburg, he specialized in neurosurgery and held leading positions at the university hospitals in Würzburg and Munich for many years. He has headed the Cologne clinic since 2009. His scientific interests include neuro-oncological surgery and spinal surgery. He heads the Neuro-Oncological Tumor Center and is spokesperson for the Maximum Care Spinal Center at the University Hospital Cologne. From 2020 to 2022, Professor Goldbrunner served as President of the German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC). He is active in numerous professional societies, serves as a reviewer and editor for renowned journals, and has supervised clinical studies for many years. He is also an elected member of the Neuroscience Review Board (Clinical Neurology; Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology) of the German Research Foundation (DFG). In his free time, the father of two children enjoys sporting activities – rowing, running or sailing.
German Society for Surgery (DGCH) and associated surgical societies
The German Society for Surgery (DGCH) was founded in Berlin in 1872. In its 153rd year, it is one of the oldest medical and scientific societies. It unites all pillars of the field of surgery under its umbrella and, with its members associated through the individual societies, represents more than 22 700 surgeons. The following professional societies are united under the umbrella of the DGCH: German Society for General and Visceral Surgery (DGAV), German Society for Vascular Surgery and Vascular Medicine (DGG), German Society for Pediatric Surgery (DGKCH), German Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (DGMKG), German Society for Neurosurgery (DGNC), German Society for Orthopaedics and Orthopaedic Surgery (DGOOC), German Society for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (DGPRÄC), German Society for Thoracic Surgery (DGT), German Society for Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery (DGTHG), German Society for Trauma Surgery (DGU), and, in principle, the German Society for Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery (DGOU).