Invitation to the lecture series “Democracy Meets Medicine”
Magdeburg University Hospital cordially invites you to the new lecture series “Democracy Meets Medicine”. In this series, leading experts from the fields of medicine, the natural sciences, the humanities, the social sciences, politics, and industry will discuss the significance and responsibility of medicine for the future of our society.
Next date for the lecture series
- May 19, 2026 | 5:00–7:00 p.m. | Lecture Hall 7 | Free admission
Prof. Dr. med. Hans-Jochen Heinze, Chairman of the Hospital Board and Medical Director: Brain Health, Freedom, and Responsibility – Medical Foundations of Democratic Action
Prof. Dr. Emrah Düzel, Spokesperson for the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Magdeburg: Optimism for maintaining brain health
What is it about?
Prof. Dr. med. Hans-Jochen Heinze – Brain Health, Freedom, and Responsibility – Medical Foundations of Democratic Action
In his lecture, Professor Heinze highlights the fundamental importance of freedom, self-determination, and responsibility as the cornerstones of democracy and explores the question of whether free will even exists from a neuroscientific perspective. He demonstrates the role brain health plays in self-determined action and how medical findings shape our understanding of responsibility and decision-making capacity.
Prof. Dr. Emrah Düzel, Spokesperson for the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Magdeburg: Optimism for Maintaining Brain Health
Recent studies show: People who constantly dwell on negative scenarios increase their risk of Alzheimer’s. But there is a counterforce: optimism. It enables our memory to connect the past and the future and creates space for exploratory thinking. Prof. Dr. Emrah Düzel explains the fascinating intersection between neuroscience and social responsibility.
Background on the lecture series
Our society is at a turning point: Technologies such as artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, robotics, and digital virtuality pose unprecedented challenges to the biological, cultural, and ethical integrity of humanity. Used correctly, they can pave the way to a stable and sustainable future. If misused, they threaten to shake the very foundations of humanity, freedom, and responsibility.
The lecture series therefore focuses on the intersection of medicine and democracy: While politics is responsible for shaping our world, medicine bears responsibility for the health of the brain and body—the prerequisite for conscious, empathetic, and responsible action.
Following the event, we invite you to join us for refreshments in the foyer to foster dialogue between science, medicine, and society.
We look forward to your participation and stimulating discussions.
Further dates will be announced shortly.