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Building Bridges in Science and Humanity
On February 20 2025, the Julius Wolff Institute, the BIH Center for Musculoskeletal Biomechanics and Regeneration, celebrated the opening of its new research areas in the Rahel Hirsch Center for Translational Medicine (RHC). To mark this major step, the team honored Dr. Julius Wolff, the person after whom the institute was named, with a ceremony.
Connecting Two Pioneers at the Charité
"By moving the Julius Wolff Institue into the Rahel Hisch Center, we are creating a symbolic link between these two personalities who faced many challenges in their time and probably never met in person."
Christopher Baum
Both made significant contributions to medicine and worked at the Charité in Berlin at the beginning of the 20th century. Julius Wolff was a pioneer in orthopaedics and is known for the Wolff's Law from 1892, named after him, which is also known as ‘The Law of Transformation of Bones’ and describes the adaptation of bones to mechanical loads. Rahel Hirsch, on the other hand, was the first woman to be appointed professor in Prussia. Her life's work stands for scientific innovation and commitment that overcomes social barriers.
Encounter in Spirit
While it is not historically proven whether Wolff and Hirsch met during their lifetimes, they are now meeting, at least symbolically, as the Julius Wolff Institute moves into the Rahel Hirsch Center. Their work and legacy have had a lasting impact on medical research and practice.
The ceremony honored Dr Julius Wolff with two other extraordinary personalities: Dr. Katherine Wolff, great-granddaughter of Julius Wolff, and Margot Friedländer, Holocaust survivor and contemporary witness. Their presence and words lent the evening a special depth and appealed to humanity.
"Science should serve humanity. As a bridge between places, between cultures, and, above all, between people. Use this bridge to bring humanity, solidarity, and hope to the world!’"
Margot Friedländer
Her concluding appeal emphasized the timeless importance of humanity in science and beyond: ‘Be human! Today and always! Seize your opportunities, shape your future!’
Research for the Future
The Julius Wolff Institute is a leading national and international research center for musculoskeletal research. The director of the institute, Prof. Dr. Georg Duda, gave the guests an insight into current research projects relating to musculoskeletal biomechanics and regeneration. Founded in 2008, the Julius Wolff Institute is the result of a merger between the research laboratory of the Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery at Charité and the clinical biomechanics laboratory of the Department of Orthopaedics. The institute brings together national and international scientists from various areas of musculoskeletal research and facilitates the international exchange of experience and information through the many scientific and personal connections in various research institutions.
The opening of the JWI research areas in the Rahel Hirsch Center thus stands not only for scientific progress, but also for the obligation to always put science at the service of humanity – in the spirit of Julius Wolff and Rahel Hirsch.
Following the ceremony, Georg Duda and his team offered insights into the new research areas and current translational research projects, bringing the celebrations to a scientific close.
Watch the ceremony now:
Impressions
Copyright: Sabine Gudath