Jochen Hampe

Prof. Dr. Jochen Hampe is W3 Professor for Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology at TU Dresden and Director of Medical Department 1, University Hospital Dresden. His Hampe Lab conducts systems medicine research focused on molecular mechanisms of liver physiology, regeneration, and diseases including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

Education and Career

• 2018: W3 Professor for Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, TU Dresden
• 2013: W2 Professor for Gastroenterology, TU Dresden
• 2011: Extraordinary Professor, University of Kiel
• 2005: German Habilitation in Internal Medicine, University of Kiel
• 1996: MD thesis, Charité Medical School Berlin

His research integrates genome-wide association studies (GWAS), single-nucleus sequencing (snRNA-Seq/snATAC-Seq), spatial transcriptomics, DNA-methylation analyses, and tissue-specific mouse KO-models with deep learning to characterize molecular changes in liver disease progression. Key disease targets include alcoholic cirrhosis, MASLD, gallstone disease, colorectal carcinoma, and inflammatory bowel disease, with emphasis on epigenetic changes and genetic risk variant validation.

Publication trends (2015-2025) reveal evolving focus from genetic association studies toward AI-integrated multi-omics approaches, particularly in spatial transcriptomics for liver zonation and deep learning applications in medical imaging for cancer detection. Recent work increasingly emphasizes translational biomarker development for early disease detection.

Scientific Awards

• Thannhauser Award, German Association of Gastroenterology (2007)
• Frerichs Award, German Association of Internal Medicine (2004)
• Ludwig-Heilmeyer Medal (2002)
• Julius Rosenbach Postdoctoral Scholarship (1997)
• DAAD Scholarship for UK Medical Studies (1993)

Hampe actively mentors PhD students and leads a multidisciplinary team comprising postdocs, technicians, and bioinformaticians. His research is funded by European and German institutions including DFG and EU programs, supporting work at the interface of basic genomic research and clinical application. The lab maintains strong national/international clinic collaborations for cohort studies in complex liver diseases.

The Hampe Lab operates state-of-the-art genomic and epigenomic facilities at TU Dresden, utilizing zonated liver analysis and AI-driven tissue imaging to develop personalized biomarkers. Current team includes 2 postdocs, 3 PhD students, technicians, and bioinformatics specialists working on MASLD progression and HCC early detection.