• Petra Ritter contributed as panelist in the opening of new BIH/Charité RHC research building

    • Petra Ritter
    • Research
    • Rahel Hirsch Center - building photo

      Bottom left: Prof. Rahel Hirsch, Photo: Bain News Service / Right: Building entrance of Rahel Hirsch Center, Photo: Konstantin Börner.

    On January 19, 2023, the newly Rahel Hirsch Center for Translational Medicine (RHC) for biomedical research, outpatient care and clinical studies, officially opened its doors on the Campus Charité Mitte, directly adjacent to the Charité high-rise ward block.

    The opening ceremony of the joint building of the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH) and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, was notably attended by the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Franziska Giffey; the Berlin’s Senator for Higher Education and Research, Health, Long-Term Care and Gender Equality, Ulrike Gote; and the State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Judith Pirscher, along with Charité board and BIH directorate.

    On the program of this ceremony, Prof. Petra Ritter contributed in the research panel discussion: "Data, studies, translation: how research becomes health", with (from left to right) Ulla Ohlms, Charité patient; Prof. Christof von Kalle, BIH Clinical Study Center; Prof. Ulrich Keilholz, Charité Comprehensive Cancer Center; and Stefanie Seltman, Moderator:

    Research, outpatient treatment and clinical studies under on roof

    The former building for surgery, intensive care and emergency room of the Charité had been extensively renovated in the last years. It will now be used jointly by BIH and Charité Universitätsmedizin for research, outpatient care and clinical studies.

    The RHC will be home to research groups from various BIH sections, such as the Center of Digital Health, Center of Health Data Sciences, while, from the Charité side, the Oncological Outpatient Department and Day Case Unit of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, among others, are also moving to the RHC.

    The modern six-story research building combines the innovative, patient-oriented and translational research of BIH with the medical care of Charité under one roof, and thus, promotes interaction between patients, physicians and researchers.

    Learn more about the RHC in the BIH online article (in German only).

    Rahel Hirsch - the first female medical professor in Germany!

    The new Center for Translational Medicine was named after Rahel Hirsch, a female Jewish doctor, born in Frankfurt am Main in 1870, who distinguished herself under very difficult circumstances.

    Although, Rahel studied medicine in Zurich in 1898, because women in Germany were not allowed until 1900, in 1908, she was appointed head of Charité’s Polyclinic, and in 1913, she became the first woman in Germany (at the time called the Kingdom of Prussia) to be awarded the title of professor of medicine.

    Learn more about Rahel Hirsch in the BIH Podcast: "Who was Rahel Hirsch?" (in German only).

    Find out more

    Read the BIH press release.

    Get impression on the RHC Opening Ceremony by visiting the photo gallery, and watching the video report.