Cancer often goes beyond the occurrence of purely physical symptoms. Coping with such a profound diagnosis can be psychologically challenging for many people. The research group "Psycho-Oncology" (Head: Prof. Dr. Isabelle Scholl, Deputy Head: Dr. Mareike Thomas) deals with questions relating to the psychosocial side-effects and impact of cancer - for patients themselves, but also for care-taking relatives and involved healthcare professionals .

The research group is presently developing. Currently, we are conducting two studies. One focuses on the use of video consultations in psycho-oncology in Germany. The other examines professional grieving processes in psycho-oncologists. Further studies, particularly with a focus on psycho-oncological interventions, are in preparation. Both qualitative and quantitative methods and mixed-methods approaches are used to gain new insights in these areas.

Within the Department of Medical Psychology, there is particularly close cooperation with the research groups " Patient-centered Care: Evaluation and Implementation " (Head: Dr. Pola Hahlweg, Dr. Jördis Zill), " Clinical Health Care Research in Oncology " (Head : Prof. Dr. Holger Schulz, Dr. Christiane Bleich), "Clinical Health Care Research in Rare Illness in Childhood" (Head: Dr. Laura Inhestern), " Existential Distress in Severe Illness " (Head: PD Dr. Sigrun Vehling) and " Design and Statistical Data Analysis " (Head: Prof. Dr. Levente Kriston). There is also a very close exchange with the Outpatient Clinic for Psycho-Oncology.