“The University of Augsburg stands for a close integration of research, teaching and social responsibility. As an outstanding cardiac surgeon, Prof. Dr Rawa Arif embodies this ethos in a special way by combining scientific innovation with cutting-edge medical care. He will thus play a lasting role in shaping the dynamic development of our university hospital,” says the President of the University of Augsburg, Prof. Dr Sabine Doering-Manteuffel.

The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Dr Martina Kadmon, adds: “In Prof. Dr Arif, we are gaining an extremely experienced cardiac surgeon who consistently combines modern patient care with innovative research. His plans fit perfectly with the Faculty of Medicine’s commitment to combining clinical excellence with forward-looking research.”

Prof. Dr Klaus Markstaller, Medical Director, is also delighted with this high-calibre addition to university medicine in Augsburg: “Anyone suffering from a heart condition must be able to rely on the specialists involved to work together to find the appropriate treatment. That is why close collaboration between cardiac surgery, cardiology and the other specialist disciplines is particularly important to us at the University Hospital. Prof. Dr Rawa Arif will greatly strengthen this collaboration and specifically expand the scope for minimally invasive surgery.”

Less invasive procedures for patients

One of Prof. Dr Arif’s key areas of focus is the further development of minimally invasive cardiac surgery. In particular, procedures on the mitral and aortic valves should, wherever possible, be carried out via small incisions and using endoscopic techniques. The focus here is on preserving and reconstructing the body’s own heart valves. The use of minimally invasive techniques is also to be further expanded in bypass surgery. The decision as to which treatment is best suited to each individual patient is to be made jointly by cardiac surgery and cardiology as part of the so-called ‘Heart Team’. “For me, modern cardiac surgery means finding the best possible treatment for each patient, whilst ensuring it is as gentle as possible. Minimally invasive procedures can reduce the physical strain of surgery and aid recovery after the procedure,” explains Arif. Another key area of development is robot-assisted cardiac surgery. The use of a surgical robot is expected to open up new possibilities, particularly in minimally invasive bypass surgery and mitral valve reconstruction.

Focus on complex aortic conditions

Arif also aims to strengthen the care provided to patients with complex aortic conditions, particularly acute aortic dissections, in collaboration with the vascular surgery team at the Aortic Centre. Care is also planned for people with hereditary aortic conditions such as Marfan syndrome, with the establishment of a specialist outpatient clinic where genetic diagnostics, modern imaging and treatment work closely together.

Research directly relevant to patient care

Prof. Dr Arif also aims to further advance cardiac surgery from a scientific perspective. One area of focus is healthcare research: clinical data will be used to investigate how treatments and procedures can be further improved. In addition, he intends to utilise modern technologies such as high-fidelity simulation and artificial intelligence to analyse surgical procedures and, in the long term, to support areas such as quality assurance, documentation, and training and continuing professional development. Another key area of research is personalised medicine, with a focus on gender-specific medicine and genetic factors. Among other things, the aim is to investigate whether women and men benefit differently from certain cardiac surgical procedures and how treatment approaches can be developed accordingly. In addition, research activities into hereditary aortic diseases are to be expanded. “My aim is to conduct research that is not detached from clinical practice. Our scientific investigations should, as far as possible, help to make the treatment of our patients safer, less invasive and more personalised,” said Prof. Dr Arif.

About Rawa Arif

Prof. Dr Rawa Arif studied medicine at the Ruprecht Karls University of Heidelberg, where he was awarded his doctorate in 2012 and completed his habilitation in 2020. In 2017, he obtained his specialist qualification in cardiac surgery; this was followed in December 2019 by an additional qualification in specialised intensive care medicine. Since 2010, Arif has held various positions at the Department of Cardiac Surgery at Heidelberg University Hospital, most recently as Deputy Medical Director and Senior Consultant in charge of clinical operations, Head of the Marfan Outpatient Clinic and Head of the Robot-Assisted Cardiac Surgery Programme, which he established there. Since 1 October 2026, he has held the Chair of Cardiac Surgery at the Faculty of Medicine, Augsburg, and has been Director of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at Augsburg University Hospital.