Interview with Prof Jürgen Floege

Prof J. Floege Head of the II. Medical Clinic (Nephrology and Immunology), University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany

Prof Zoccali: The Aachen department of Nephrology is strongly based on scientific research, truly from the bench to the bedside. The structure of your activities and research interests are delineated in the updated version of your WEB site (see http://www.ndt-educational.org/trainingAachen.asp ). Can you give us some more information on the organization of your department?

Prof Floege: The department is organized into 3 major research groups:

In addition, we have a number of associated independent projects, which feed into these major themes, and we also have the potential to create our own themes in the future. These currently include:

Website: http://www.med-klinik2.ukaachen.de

Prof Zoccali: What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of your department?

Prof Floege: Our major strength certainly relates to the combination of basic, translational and clinical research, i.e. we have the complete chain from sophisticated cell biology studies to experimental renal disease to clinical studies. A second strength is a large group of highly-motivated and well-trained young clinicians and molecular biologists. This interplay of PhDs with MDs again has proved to be a very powerful combination.

One weakness is the lack of very large homogenous patient groups at the university hospital, although we have quite a share of clinical work. This is not specific to Aachen, but is rather a pan-German problem since, in Germany, health care is not centralized, as in many other countries. However, this weakness also has benefits, since it forces us to collaborate extensively throughout the region with local nephrologists and on an (inter-) national level as well. With respect to the latter, Aachen is in a very strategic position, since it borders on two other countries (i.e. The Netherlands and Belgium) and since 6 major university hospitals lie within a 150 km radius (i.e. Liège, Maastricht, Bonn, Cologne, Düsseldorf and Essen). In particular, with our colleagues in Maastricht, which is a mere 30 km from Aachen, we have set up extensive cooperative projects.

Prof Zoccali: You have a variety of research projects. How do you manage these problems of funding, organization and internal and external integration?

Prof Floege: At times I do not know myself. The key, as usual, is constant grant writing, negotiating and not relying on just one source of funding.

In terms of internal and external integration, it has proved very helpful that I am the Vice Dean of the Aachen Medical School and, as such, am in charge of research. Also, given my upcoming position as President of the German Society of Nephrology, this will allow for even more extensive integration and networking.

Integration within the Aachen Medical School is further aided by our very special and remarkable building (have a look at the website!). It is an “all under one roof” concept and, indeed, we have everything from basic science, vivarium to wards and operating theatres in one huge building. The hospital, for example, has 1,400 beds and about 6,000 employees (including the Medical School). At times, I am simply amazed myself at how much I get done in a day by simply running into colleagues on my way through the building.

Prof Zoccali: Translational research is a much touted area. In reality, this area is becoming an all-purpose log-in for funding. Could you tell us if and what transitional research programs you have in your department?

Prof Floege: Looking at my answer to the first question should quickly convince you that we have translational research going on in virtually every research area that we are involved in. I personally view this as the key obligation of physician-researchers, such as myself.

Prof Zoccali: Could you provide financial support to young investigators from abroad for well-focused research projects?

Prof Floege: The simple answer is yes. We often have openings for researchers within our own (funded) projects but if a project from somebody abroad fits well into our own themes, we can of course try to get extra funding for that as well.

Prof Zoccali: Can you frankly tell us the pluses and the minuses that emerged with international fellowship programs in your department?

Prof Floege: The big plus is the atmosphere in the lab. We have always considered fellows from abroad a major enrichment of the lab and have always made an attempt to be as international as possible.

Prof Zoccali: Do you accept fellows with limited educational goals, e.g. gaining skills in a clinical or laboratory methodology?

Prof Floege: Yes, we have had all kinds of fellows since I started in Aachen in 1999. In particular having several PhDs full-time in the lab, even a fellow with fewer skills is well taken care of.

Prof Zoccali: Which “in house” educational activities do you have? (Journal Club, Invited speakers, Clinical meetings…)

Prof Floege: There are a considerable number of educational activities in house, starting of course with invited speakers, research and departmental meetings and extending as far as an MD-PhD program and a class in Biomedical Engineering. Large parts of this are in English so that not having knowledge of the German language is not a major obstacle.

Prof Zoccali: Do you provide well formalized “hands on” clinical training also in the outpatient clinics or just in the medical (nephrology) ward?

Prof Floege: This, of course, is heavily influenced by language. While we did have several fellows, who only spoke English, joining us for rounds and in outpatient clinics, it is of course much more rewarding to be able to understand patients directly. Training is formalized only to the extent that different wards, dialysis and outpatient clinics can be rotated into.

Prof Zoccali: What environmental and social attractiveness has Aachen beyond your department? What are the opportunities for making young doctors' stays in Aachen enjoyable during week-ends and after the long hours spent in the hospital and in the laboratories?

Prof Floege: Aachen is a wonderful place for several reasons and nobody will get bored here:

it is the most historical town in Germany (for example, Germany was essentially founded in Aachen by Charlemagne in the 9th century and for 600 years every German Emperor was crowned here). The reason for the choice of Aachen was probably the natural hot springs (we still are an official “spa”!), which the Romans had already enjoyed. When the city administration embarks on the rebuilding of something, they still discover treasures from the past, e.g. remants of a Roman bath house two years ago.

It is a student town with something like 30-40.000 students around. Thus, you can be certain that there is plenty of night-life.

It has a world-famous technical university and engineers “made in Aachen” have an extremely high reputation.