Prof. Dr. med. Uta Dirksen | Science for Democracy

Member of the Executive Board

Uta Dirksen is a pediatrician specialized in pediatric and adolescent hematology and oncology. She is a scientist and professor at Essen University Hospital and the University of Duisburg-Essen. She is as Acting Medical Director of Pediatric Clinic III and serves as Vice Director of the West German Tumor Center, and Managing Director of the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) West. From 2025 to 2027, she will also serve as President of the European Society for Pediatric Oncology (SIOPE). Her research focuses on sarcomas in children and adolescents, with the goal of sustainably improving both cure rates and quality of life. She also founded Germany’s first cancer ward specifically dedicated to adolescents and young adults at Essen University Hospital.

“Facts, honest dialogue, and well-researched contributions are the foundation of an open, democratic society. We all share the responsibility of protecting that society from hate speech and misinformation. Freedom, open discourse, and mutual understanding—in short, humanity—are essential for peaceful coexistence. Ignoring uncomfortable truths for the sake of convenience jeopardizes the very world we love. With Science for Democracy, we have launched an initiative to highlight the critical role that science and facts play—not only for us today but for future generations as well.”