The second day of the MIRACUM DIFUTURE Symposium 2024 was all about scientific progress and interdisciplinary networking in medical informatics. Once again, it became clear that the integration of health data in research and practice plays a central role in the further development of personalized medicine.
Keynote: “Successful networking: Genom.DE?” – Prof. Dr. Oliver Kohlbacher
Prof. Dr. Oliver Kohlbacher opened the day with an impressive keynote speech on national genome research in Germany. Under the title “Successful networking: Genom.DE?“, he highlighted the successes of the GenomDE project and at the same time addressed the many challenges involved in integrating genomics into clinical practice. He particularly emphasized the need for scalability of data infrastructures and the sensitive handling of ethical and data protection issues. Kohlbacher emphasized that close cooperation between research, IT and clinical practice is crucial in order to exploit the full potential of personalized medicine.
Presentation of the 1st Young Investigator Group Award: Award for IMPETUS
Another highlight was the awarding of the junior research group prize, which this year went to the IMPETUS team. Led by Prof. Dr. Björn Schreiweis, the team impressed with its work on the integration of medical multimedia data in universal knowledge management systems. In his presentation, Schreiweis emphasized the growing importance of linking clinical image data for medical research and care. With their innovative approach, they are making a significant contribution to further breaking down the boundaries between research and clinical practice.
The other finalists also impressed with their outstanding contributions:
- Christoph Beger (SMITH consortium) presented a novel phenotype repository designed to improve data integration and phenotypic analysis.
- Dr. Ali Burak Ünal (DIFUTURE) presented a privacy-friendly method for age prediction using DNA methylation data.
- Prof. Dr. Björn Schreiweis presented innovative approaches for integrating radiological image data.
- Dr. Judith Wodke and Ilya Mazein demonstrated the development of a FHIR-based knowledge graph for the systematic networking of medical knowledge.







DIZ at the University Hospitals of Regensburg and Saarland – Ph.D. Holger Stenzhorn and Dr. Regina Fischer
Holger Stenzhorn, Ph.D., and Dr. Regina Fischer provided valuable insights into the development of the Data Integration Centers (DIZ) at the University Hospitals of Regensburg and Saarland. These centers provide an essential infrastructure for linking care and research data. While Regensburg is still under construction, the internal processes in Saarland are an ongoing challenge, but one that can be mastered with creativity and commitment.
EyeMatics: Medical informatics for ophthalmology – Mustafa Kemal Yildrim
Mustafa Kemal Yildirim presented the promising EyeMatics project, which uses modern medical informatics to improve the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases. By analyzing image-based data with artificial intelligence, new approaches to surgical planning and therapy development are made possible.
ACRIBIS: Advances in clinical data integration – Dr. Eimo Martens
Dr. Eimo Martens presented the ACRIBIS project, which is dedicated to optimizing clinical data integration. In particular, the improvement of data quality and availability was emphasized. In collaboration with numerous university hospitals, standardized data is collected from 4,500 patients and their health status is monitored over longer periods of time. The establishment of a uniform standard, such as FHIR, is a central goal of the project.
Keynote: “Should science play a role in politics?” – Prof. Dr. Rainer Röhrig
The day concluded with a profound keynote speech by Prof. Dr. Rainer Röhrig, who addressed the question of how and to what extent science should influence political decision-making processes. Röhrig argued that science must provide a neutral basis for decision-making for political processes, while at the same time maintaining independence. However, he also made it clear that science should actively intervene when legal hurdles hinder research and potentially harm people. A balanced representation of interests in the form of statements and discussions with political decision-makers is necessary here.
The first half of the second day of the symposium thus offered a fascinating insight into current developments in medical informatics and their potential applications. It showed how important networking and collaboration between different disciplines is in order to master the challenges of the future and further advance personalized medicine.




Extension of the Research Data Portal for Health: FDPG+ – Dr. Julian Gründner
Dr. Julian Gründner presents the FDPG+ extension, which adds new functionalities to the Research Data Portal for Health (FDPG). A central topic was the challenge of cohort definition, feasibility queries and secure data provision. The enhancements improve interoperability between health datasets and offer a user-friendly free-text search as well as extended filter functions for feasibility queries. Participants of the symposium can test the new ALPHA version of the portal, which will be a powerful platform for health research in the future.
EVA4MII: Data-driven evaluation platform – Dr. Viktoria Rücker
Dr. Viktoria Rücker presented EVA4MII, a platform for the evaluation and analysis of medical data, which is especially designed for the routine data of the Medical Informatics Initiatives (MII) and the DIZ. EVA4MII supports researchers in the development and implementation of scientific projects by providing tools for different evaluation levels and research areas. In addition, the platform offers tutorials, workshops and surveys to introduce users to the functionality and use of EVA4MII and to support them in project implementation.
SU-TermServ: Terminological Services for MII and NUM – Prof. Dr. Josef Ingenerf
Prof. Dr. Josef Ingenerf presented the SU-TermServ service unit, which provides terminological services for the MII and the National University Medicine Research Network (NUM). The main task of this unit is to ensure semantic interoperability, in particular by providing the terminological resources for the core data set (KDS). Currently, the stable KDS modules are available and further necessary resources have been packaged for a comprehensive KDS implementation to efficiently support research.
Keynote: “The development of LLMs in medicine” – Dr. Isabella Wiest
Dr. Isabella Wiest gave a fascinating insight into the role of Large Language Models (LLMs) in medicine. LLMs can be used not only as data management tools, but as intelligent systems in healthcare. She pointed out the challenges, such as unpredictable results and the risk of false statements. However, with specific guidance, these models can learn to provide structured answers that are not prone to error. The possibilities of LLMs for content summarization and interactive conversations offer promising approaches for medical practice and research which will be fundamental in the future.




Finally, the two consortium leaders Prof. Dr. Hans-Ulrich Prokosch and Prof. Dr. Martin Boeker would like to thank the speakers and the numerous participants who, through their presence, questions and professional exchange, contributed to making this symposium an inspiring place for scientific collaboration and new impulses.
Special thanks are due to the organization team and the numerous helping hands from Munich and Erlangen who made this event possible in the first place.
