Jena, March 05, 2026. A project team from the Universitätsklinikum Jena (UKJ) has won a nationwide university competition with an innovative concept on the topic of sepsis. Under professional guidance, young people are to artistically process the life-threatening disease and bring it into the public space.
- Project: Street art workshop for sepsis awareness
- Initiators: Dr. Caroline Neumann (Intensive Care Medicine), Dr. Margit Leitner (Biology) as well as the artists Marko Kurth and Michael Drosdek
- Award: Winner in the university competition „Science Year 2026 – Medicine of the Future“
- Funding amount: 10,000 euros in prize money
Medical knowledge meets urban art
Many people are not fully aware of the dangers of sepsis. To change this, a team from the Universitätsklinikum Jena is now taking an unusual, creative path. Intensive care physician Dr. Caroline Neumann and biologist Dr. Margit Leitner have developed a concept that combines medical education directly with youth culture. For this, they have now been honored as part of the university competition for the Science Year 2026, which is held under the motto „Medicine of the Future“.
The prize money of 10,000 euros will be used to fund a comprehensive street art workshop for young people. Together with the artists Marko Kurth and Michael Drosdek, participants will have the opportunity to engage intensively with the medical background of this complex infectious disease. In direct dialogue with the experts, the young people can ask questions, gather information, and translate their resulting impressions into large-format artworks.
Visibility in public space
The declared goal of the project is not only to educate the participating youth but also to reach a broad public in Jena. Therefore, the artworks created in the workshop will subsequently be made visible at well-frequented locations in the public space. In this way, the street art acts as a permanent, visual impulse, encouraging passers-by in their everyday lives to engage with the often underestimated topic of sepsis.
Background: Sepsis and research at the UKJ
Sepsis, often colloquially referred to as blood poisoning, is a life-threatening complication of infections. In this condition, the body’s own immune system attacks not only the pathogen but also its own organs. If left untreated, this condition quickly leads to multiple organ failure and death. Rapid recognition of symptoms – such as sudden confusion, extreme pain, shortness of breath, or a feeling of illness never experienced before – is crucial, as every hour until the administration of antibiotics counts.
The Universitätsklinikum Jena, whose main site is located in Lobeda, is considered one of the most important centers for sepsis research in Germany. With specialized research facilities, intensive work has been carried out here for years on early detection and better treatment options. Prevention projects and unconventional awareness campaigns are an integral part of the Jena strategy to increase public sensitivity and reduce the sepsis mortality rate in the long term.
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UKJ project brings sepsis topic to street art
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.