[Registry Research Funding of the German Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (DGPRÄC) and Research Funding Report 2024/2025].

BACKGROUND

University hospitals in Germany face major challenges due to structural deficits, economic constraints, and increasing demands for specialized care. These developments also affect academic plastic surgery within the German Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (DGPRÄC). This study evaluated research activities, funding structures, and national and international collaborations of university departments of plastic surgery during the 2024/2025 survey period and compared them with previous assessment intervals.

METHODS

A web-based survey collected data on submitted, approved, rejected, and pending research proposals from university departments of plastic surgery. Structural characteristics, including laboratory infrastructure, clinical study centers, doctoral supervision, and, for the first time, transregional and international collaborations, were also assessed.

RESULTS

During 2024/2025, 73 applications from 16 institutions were reported, of which 56 were approved. Total awarded funding reached €18.76 million, compared with €23.15 million in 2021/2022. In contrast, the average funding per project increased, particularly for German Research Foundation (DFG) grants. Although fewer applications were submitted overall, rejected funding volume increased. Research infrastructure expanded substantially: 93.75% of institutions operated dedicated research laboratories, 62.5% maintained clinical study centers, and the number of supervised doctoral candidates increased. Twenty-three international collaborations, primarily with partners in the United States and China, were identified. Major research areas included stem cell research, digitalization, and artificial intelligence. Bureaucracy, limited research time, personnel shortages, and insufficient funding were identified as the main barriers.

CONCLUSION

Despite a decline in research applications, academic plastic surgery in Germany is undergoing structural change. Continued expansion of research infrastructure and increasing international collaboration are offset by growing administrative and financial challenges. Sustaining the long-term scientific competitiveness of the specialty will require targeted funding opportunities, reduced administrative burden, and structured transregional research networks.