Professor Helmut Friess is Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the Klinikumrechts der Isar, Technical University Munich since July 2007. While serving as  Chairman, Prof. Friess has continued to be an active clinician and researcher. His primary research interests include molecular mechanisms of pancreatic cancer development and the influence of growth factors on the aggressiveness of pancreatic tumors. In addition, he contributed to the developments in pancreatic surgery. Professor Friess received his medical degree at the University of Ulm (Director Prof. H. G. Beger) and received post doctoral training in the laboratory of Prof. Murray Korc at the University of California, Irvine, USA from 1992 to 1993. He acquired his tenure review (Habilitation) at the University of Berne, Switzerland in 1998 in the Department of Visceraland Transplantation Surgery (Director Prof. M. W. Büchler). After his medical internship and residency at the University Hospital (Inselspital) of the University of Berne, Switzerland he moved together with Prof. Markus Büchler to the University of Heidelberg, Germany where he served as Vice Chairman from 2001 to 2007 (Director Prof. M. W. Büchler). Professor Friess has published more than 1000 articles in scientific journals. His present H- index is 156 (5/2024). He received several awards (e.g. Dr. Hella Bühler Price for Oncologic Research) and is an Honorary Professor at the R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology, National Academy of Science, Ukraine, and an Honorary Member of the Romanian Academy of Medical Sciences, Bucharest, Romania. In addition, Professor Friess received three Honorary Doctor degrees (China, Georgia). He has served at the Council of European Digestive Surgery (EDS) for more than two decades, currently being the EDS General Secretary.