The Department of Experimental Surgery at the Center for Clinical Research at Ruhr-Universität Bochum is the research department of the Department of Surgery at Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum GmbH, University Hospital of Ruhr-Universität Bochum. The research department was founded in March 2018 by Prof. Dr. Richard Viebahn, Director of the Department of Surgery, and one of his senior physicians, Dr. Jochen Salber (M.D., Ph.D.). The research focus of the department is largely, but not exclusively, oriented towards the clinical areas of visceral/abdominal surgery, vascular surgery and transplant surgery. Important translational topics include the pathology of implants, prevention and treatment of foreign material-associated infections, improvement of soft/hard tissue wound healing, tissue engineering of various tissue types, organs and certain tumor models. In the related area of basic research, we develop biomaterials for the production of biomimetic extracellular matrix (bmECM) coatings in order to develop human cell-based assays or bio-printed bmECM constructs for the development of 3D human tissue/organ equivalents on chips in order to develop microphysiological systems (MPS). The Department of Experimental Surgery currently consists of two research groups. With the appointment of Prof. Dr. Andreas Schnitzbauer as Director of the Department of Surgery and the retirement of Prof. Dr. Richard Viebahn, the Division of Experimental Surgery will be enriched by three additional research groups.