Junior Research Group

Intelligent Systems and Robotics in Urology

  • Imaging and Radiooncology
  • DKFZ Hector Cancer Institute
  • Clinical Cooperation Unit
  • Junior Research Group

Priv. Doz. Dr. Karl-Friedrich Kowalewski

Arbeitsgruppenleiter

Traditionally, surgical disciplines like Urology have relied on surgeons' intraoperative situational awareness and their interpretations of the surgical field and anatomy. However, recent advances in artificial intelligence and its subdomains have opened up exciting possibilities for real-time analysis of vast amounts of data and video streams to assist the surgeon. Our research group is actively engaged in developing, validating, and translating these AI methods into practical clinical care.

Our Research

To harness this potential, we gather and analyze information accumulated from various devices during surgeries. After thorough processing by means of segmentation and annotation, valuable surgical datasets are created. These datasets serve as the foundation for creating and testing models that offer surgical assistance and decision-making support.

One additional focus of our research lies in augmented intraoperative tissue assessment, where we employ cutting-edge biophotonics technologies such as hyperspectral imaging and fluorescence. These techniques enable real-time analysis of oxygen saturation and perfusion, empowering surgeons with enhanced abilities to evaluate tissue properties on the spot and make well-informed decisions during surgery.

However, the integration of these advanced techniques into daily surgical practice is still limited due to the lack of high-level evidence supporting their effectiveness. To overcome this barrier, our research group is committed to conducting large-scale clinical trials to rigorously test these technologies. This will enable safe and meaningful implementation of intelligent systems into routine care for more precise oncological surgery. This will ultimately benefit both patients and caregivers, ensuring better outcomes and improved healthcare services.

Team

20 Employees

  • Priv. Doz. Dr. Karl-Friedrich Kowalewski

    Arbeitsgruppenleiter

    Contact form: Message to Priv. Doz. Dr. Karl-Friedrich Kowalewski

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Gloria Baumann

    Contact form: Message to Gloria Baumann

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Birger Bautz

    Medizinische Doktorandin - Biophotonik

    Contact form: Message to Birger Bautz

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Dr. Luisa Egen

    Clinician Scientist - Biophotonik

    Contact form: Message to Dr. Luisa Egen

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Wahid Fattal

    Medizinischer Doktorand - DeepTRUS

    Contact form: Message to Wahid Fattal

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Leonard Fobker

    Medizinischer Doktroand - DeepTRUS

    Contact form: Message to Leonard Fobker

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Caelan Haney

    Medical lead

    Contact form: Message to Caelan Haney

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Emily Höll

    HiWi - Biophotonik

    Contact form: Message to Emily Höll

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Moritz Hommel

    Medizinischer Doktorand - Biophotonik

    Contact form: Message to Moritz Hommel

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Karina Kämpfert

    Medizinische Doktorandin - DeepTRUS

    Contact form: Message to Karina Kämpfert

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Vera Klütz

    PhD Studentin - Biophotonik

    Contact form: Message to Vera Klütz

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Jiri Lehmberg

    Medizinischer Doktorand - MYSCUS

    Contact form: Message to Jiri Lehmberg

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Luisa Renner

    Contact form: Message to Luisa Renner

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Seyed Reza Seif

    Masterstudent - DeepTRUS

    Contact form: Message to Seyed Reza Seif

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Alexander Studier-Fischer

    Contact form: Message to Alexander Studier-Fischer

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Samantha Thauer

    HiWi - Biophotonik

    Contact form: Message to Samantha Thauer

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Antonia Thiele

    Medizinische Doktorandin - AIM-PRO

    Contact form: Message to Antonia Thiele

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Tianmu Wang

    Medizinischer Doktorand - DeepTRUS

    Contact form: Message to Tianmu Wang

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Maximilian Wessendorf

    Medizinischer Doktorand - DeepTRUS

    Contact form: Message to Maximilian Wessendorf

    Form data is loaded ...

  • Nektarios Winter

    PhD Student - DeepTRUS

    Contact form: Message to Nektarios Winter

    Form data is loaded ...

Selected Publications

2016 - Surgical Endoscopy and Other Interventional Techniques 33(11): p.3732-3740
2023 - Surgical Endoscopy and Other Interventional Techniques 31(5): p. 2155-2165
2021 - Annals of Surgery 273(4): p. 684-693
2024 - European Urology Oncology 7(1): p. 91-97

Get in touch with us

Priv. Doz. Dr. Karl-Friedrich Kowalewski
Arbeitsgruppenleiter
Contact form: Message to Priv. Doz. Dr. Karl-Friedrich Kowalewski

Form data is loaded ...