Center for Interdisciplinary Health Research

Wed, Oct. 28, 2026, Dr. Olaf Gaus: Health and Gender in the Digital Age —eHealth, Algorithms, and the Question: For Whom Does Digital Medicine Work? (Siegen)

Wed, Nov. 25, 2026, Prof. Dr. Christoph Strünck: Gender in Health Policy: A Marginal Issue or Highly Relevant? (Siegen)

Wed, Dec. 16, 2026, Dr. Sarah Eitze: Gender-Sensitive Medicine: What We Know and How We Talk About It. (Erfurt)

Wed, Jan. 27, 2027, Dr. Marcella Fassio: When Childbirth Becomes a Crisis: Literary Depictions of the Postpartum Period & Mental Health. (Halle)

A collaboration between ZiGS (Center for Interdisciplinary Health Research) and Gestu_S (Gender Studies Siegen)

Venue: Room US-C 102 in the Unteres Schloss Lecture Hall Center | Unteres Schloss 3 | 57072 Siegen 

Olaf Gaus, Health and Gender in the Digital Age – eHealth, Algorithms, and the Question: Who Benefits from Digital Medicine?

Algorithms, apps, and smart wearables are supposed to make medicine more precise, personalized, and accessible. But for whom does digital medicine actually work? The lecture demonstrates that health is neither biologically nor socially gender-neutral—and that these differences are embedded in digital applications: in diagnostic algorithms that are less reliable in identifying conditions in women, in sensors calibrated for specific body types, and in training data that has long primarily reflected men.

By examining three gaps—data, access, and policy—the talk analyzes how eHealth exacerbates existing inequalities, such as through the digital gender gap, varying levels of digital health literacy, or the lack of guidelines in the EU AI Act. At the same time, the presentation highlights examples where gender-sensitive design is already succeeding—from cardiovascular risk assessment to femtech to digital mental health services—and introduces a five-level model for how digital medicine can work for everyone.

Sarah Eitze, Gender-Sensitive Medicine: What We Know and How We Talk About It.

Why do women and men develop certain diseases differently? Why are certain symptoms detected later in women—and why aren’t medications and medical guidelines always researched equally for all genders? Gender plays a role in medicine in many areas: from biological mechanisms to symptoms, diagnostics, and therapy, all the way to risk perception and health behaviors. At the same time, “gender” has long been not only a scientific category but also the subject of social and political debates.

This lecture examines the development of gender-sensitive medicine and, using examples from various medical specialties, explains in accessible terms what research currently knows about gender-specific differences—and where gaps in the evidence still exist. As a health psychologist, I pay particular attention to the question of how scientific findings on gender can be communicated in a way that is both understandable and nuanced.

Marcella Fassio, When Childbirth Becomes a Crisis: Literary Depictions of the Postpartum Period & Mental Health.

The birth of a child is often framed by society as a moment of happiness. But what if the time that follows is marked by mental exhaustion, anxiety, and alienation? This lecture explores how literature addresses the often-taboo experience of the postpartum period and its mental health crises. The focus here is on three novels separated by more than a century: Helene Böhlau’s *Halbtier!* (1899), Gabriele Reuter’s *Ellen von der Weiden* (1900), and Olga Ravn’s *My Work* (Danish: *Mit arbejde*, 2020). Around 1900, Böhlau and Reuter wrote in opposition to a bourgeois image of women that confined them to their bodies, their role as wives, and selfless motherhood. Ravn explores, in a fragmentary, autobiographical form, how motherhood, writing, and emotional crisis intertwine. How do these texts convey feelings of being overwhelmed and a loss of identity? What language do they find to express a suffering long considered unspeakable? And what does this comparison reveal about the change and persistence of societal images of motherhood?

Christoph Strünck, Gender in Health Policy: A Marginal Issue or of High Relevance?

Gender-sensitive medicine is gaining importance: Different risk factors, different clinical presentations, and differing health behaviors among men and women require that research and care better adapt to these differences. But what is the situation within the institutions? Medicine is male-dominated (in its leadership roles), while nursing is female-dominated. The fact that we in Germany still tend to have a “health care policy” (Christian von Ferber) rather than a “health policy” may also be related to a male-dominated perspective on high-performance medicine. On the other hand, the feminization of medicine has led to new care models, such as medical care centers, becoming increasingly popular. What, then, is the relevance of gender issues to health policy decisions? What can we learn about gender relations from the marginal role of prevention and health promotion, as well as from the differing positions of health professions? This lecture will attempt to address these questions in the form of theses and present empirical assessments for discussion.

At the Center for Interdisciplinary Health Research in Siegen (ZiGS), we are seeking a student assistant (SHK) or a research assistant with a bachelor’s degree (WHB) to start as soon as possible under the following conditions: 

• 8 hours per week 
• Fixed-term contract for 1 year 
• Employment based on the German Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act (WZG) 

Your responsibilities:

• Creating text and image content 
• Maintaining the website using the Drupal web content management system
• Designing print and online materials (newsletters, presentations, reports) in accordance with the University of Siegen’s corporate design
• Assisting with the planning and execution of events 

Your Profile: 

• Enrollment in a media-related degree program or a degree program comparable to the requirements of the position 
• Interest in working in the field of science communication 
• Proficiency with standard Adobe programs and experience using CMS systems

We look forward to receiving your application by October 18, 2026, via email, compiled into a single PDF file, at: vanessa.werner@uni-siegen.de

--> View the job posting on the University of Siegen’s career portal

With the appointment of the founding board of directors by the Rectorate of the University of Siegen and the selection of 103 founding members by the board itself as one of its first actions, important steps have been taken toward establishing the Center for Interdisciplinary Health Research Siegen (ZiGS). The Advisory Board, serving as the third and advisory body, is also currently being formed. At the same time, this central research institution is already gaining visibility beyond the university.

The Executive Board had already selected the director of the institution from among its members during its constituent meeting in June. Prof. Dr. Jens Brunner was unanimously elected by the board, and the professor of management science will thus hold the position for the next three years. Other members of the Executive Board include Professor Dr. Ulrike Buchmann from the Department of Education, specializing in vocational and business education; bioinformatician Professor Dr. Florian Centler; and Professor Christoph Dockweiler from the Digital Public Health core area. Dr. Olaf Gaus was appointed Managing Director of ZiGS.

At the most recent Executive Board meeting, 103 researchers were named as founding members. The members are assigned to the institution’s four research clusters and were nominated based on their work in the research groups. They form the scientific foundation for broad-based and interdisciplinary collaboration in the areas of bio-, information, and medical technology for health (Cluster 1), digital health services research and public health (Cluster 2), regional health (Cluster 3), and health education, competencies, and communication (Cluster 4). The four research clusters are coordinated by spokespersons. This structure at ZiGS creates space to bring together different disciplines, perspectives, and areas of expertise; to strengthen interdisciplinary exchange and networking; to initiate new research questions, collaborations, and joint research projects; and to showcase the center’s research strengths both internally and externally.

The process of establishing the advisory board has already begun. Experts from health research and health care practice will advise the Executive Board on scientific strategy and health policy issues. In addition to two members of the Rectorate and the deans of the University of Siegen, the remaining positions will be filled by external experts from the fields of education, medicine, politics, healthcare, and science. A total of 27 nominations have already been received. The process of forming the council is currently underway and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. 

From the very beginning, the Center for Interdisciplinary Health Research in Siegen has also been looking beyond the University of Siegen. Initial discussions with political committees, such as the Health Policy Working Group (GPA) of the CDU Siegen-Wittgenstein, have already taken place. Further discussions and meetings with various commissions have already been scheduled; the next on the agenda is a meeting with the “Health and Climate” working group of the Senior Citizens’ Advisory Council of the City of Kreuztal. The goal is to intensify dialogue with relevant decision-makers in the region and to explore opportunities for future project-based collaboration. This will create a network—even during the start-up phase—that can bring together scientific expertise with diverse social and political perspectives. ZiGS aims to raise the profile of its members and their research while also establishing itself as a point of contact for scientific inquiries and joint activities.

The specific benefits for members will be jointly developed and defined as the organization continues to take shape. The focus is on promoting scientific exchange, fostering networking among members, and supporting joint research activities. Therefore, the first general meeting on Tuesday, November 24, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., marks another important milestone. The founding members from the four research clusters are set to meet for the first time, get to know one another, and gain a shared perspective on the newly emerging research institution. A request has been made to use space in the lecture hall building of the Lower Castle for the meeting.

Faculty members and all research staff with a Ph.D. at the University of Siegen, individuals admitted to the Ph.D. program who are pursuing their doctorate at the University of Siegen, and habilitation candidates at the university—all of whom are active in the field of interdisciplinary health research— are eligible to apply for a free ZiGS membership. To do so, applicants must submit an informal letter of motivation (half a DIN A4 page) explaining their connection to interdisciplinary health research and their affiliation with the cluster, along with a brief curriculum vitae, to the ZiGS office via email at vanessa.werner@uni-siegen.de. Doctoral candidates must also provide confirmation from their doctoral advisor. Researchers and external experts in the health sector who are not affiliated with the University of Siegen can obtain associate member status through the same process. The Executive Board votes on the acceptance of each application and looks forward to continued strong growth.

With the new Center for Interdisciplinary Health Research (ZIGS), the University of Siegen is developing innovative concepts to improve medical care in the region. The focus is on the outpatient sector - new approaches in prevention, diagnostics, therapy and care are to be developed and tested.