From the times of his MD thesis through PhD and lateron, he concentrated on several aspects of the pancreas, both in clinical medicine, translational and basic sciences. He is heading the Pancreas Research Team at Gastrocentrum and leading the KICancer Diagnose-related network for HPB tumors. For the European Gastroenterologists (UEG), he was sitting in several committees at the EU in Brussels.
Research is concentrated around the pancreas, all the way from clinical pancreatology in hereditary and autoimmune pancreatitis, biomarkers, endoscopic therapy (ERCP) to function tests and early clinical studies in pancreatic cancer with novel therapeutic concepts. The translational and basic research is conducted in the lab (PaCaRes), lead by Rainer Heuchel. In the lab, the research concentrates on the connective tissue reaction around pancreatic cancer and its role in chemoresistance. We developed a novel 3D model consisting of pancreatic cancer cels and stromal cells. The research was/is funded by VR, CF, RaHFo, Wallenius Stiftelsen, and others. Currently, a MSC program is running (PRECODE) as well as three EU projects: PANCAIM, PANCAID, GUIDE.MRD