Objectives

Key issues of our interdisciplinary network are e.g. rheumatic diseases, tumors of the musculoskeletal system, neuromuscular diseases including the muscle wasting (sarcopenia) in the elderly, osteoporosis, spine problems, advanced endoprosthesis surgery and polytrauma patients.

Without fundamental changes of established institutions the network enhances their interactive efficacy. Our mission is to improve the quality of patient care and to standardize it according to evidence-based data and guidelines.

Tight interaction and integration of basic research and clinical practice is another important aspect of our mission, which can also be deduced from the list of participating institutions. We are focusing on  disease-oriented research, consisting of both basic research and translational and clinical studies in patients. This ideally will result in rapid translation of basic research findings into clinical solutions. We are also continuously working on Primary and Secondary Prevention through patient information and medical education and transfer of knowledge to the general population through public health days. "Stem Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine" is a special focus of our work. Cutting edge knowledge will be rapidly transferred into clinical practice, and the final steps of translation are implemented in close cooperation with the various health related industrial branches.

The center is an open regional competence network. A board of directors, chaired by a spokesperson is heading the center. The board comprises the directors in chief of the core departments and institutes (Orthopedics, Trauma Surgery, Dental, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and research-based institutions of the core area, e.g. the chairs for Regenerative Medicine, Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Technology, and the heads of the departments for Chemical Technology of Material Synthesis, Experimental Trauma Research and the Orthopedic Center for Musculoskeletal Research).