Artificial Intelligence and the Perspective of Autonomous Surgery

Konrad W. Karcz, MD, PhD, PHM Professor of Surgery, Professor of Medicine
Prof. Dr. Konrad W. Karcz is a highly qualified surgeon, specializing in general, aesthetic, micro, oncological, minimally invasive, and robotic surgery. He currently works at the Clinic for Plastic, Reconstructive, and Hand Surgery with the Burn Center at Klinikum Nürnberg and is associated with the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany. Prof. Karcz has gained extensive experience in both traditional and minimally invasive surgery at renowned institutions worldwide. He completed his medical degree at the Silesian Medical University in Katowice (Poland), gained experience at Cornell University in New York (USA), and habilitated at the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (Germany). He has held a W2 professorship at the University of Schleswig-Holstein and actually has professorship at the Ludwig Maximilian University. In addition to his medical qualifications, Prof. Karcz has substantial management training from the Silesian University of Economics in Katowice (Poland) and Harvard University in Boston (USA). These skills are essential for leading teams and executing complex projects successfully. Prof. Karcz has been twice awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa by David Agmashenebeli University and Grigol Robakidze University in Georgia. In 2018, he received a nomination from the President of the Republic of Poland for the title of Professor of Medicine in recognition of his scientific and educational achievements. His recent accolades include the Karl Storz Prize from the German Surgical Association (2019), the Gold Medal from David Agmashenebeli University in Georgia (2019), and the German Medical Awards (2020). Through international cooperation, he supports various scientific institutions and organizations.

Zbigniew Nawrat PhD, scientist, inventor, teacher, visionary. He is theoretician physicist by profession (University of Silesia Degree in 1984), who the own whole professional activity associated with the medicine (Doctorate of Medical Academy of Silesia in 1997 - subject artificial heart, 2013 habilitation - subject medical robotics). He is an author of pioneer researches in artificial organ domain, especially heart prostheses. Polish ventricular assist device POLVAD was first clinically applied in 1993. He is a father of cardiac surgery robot Robin Heart - which is a first Polish and European telemanipulator for heart surgery (licenses for one of the Robin Heart models PVA were sold in 2019). He is also a pioneer of application the computer simulation & virtual space technology to surgical planning process. Zbigniew Nawrat works in Medical University of Silesia (ass. prof. in Biophysics Department) as well as in Foundation of Cardiac Surgery Development as Creative Director now. He is a member of Biomechanics section and Biomaterials section of Polish Academy of Sciences. He is an organizer of many conferences and workshops e.g. BioMedTech Silesia, Surgical Workshop, Medical Robots. He founded the International Society for Medical Robotics in 2010 - president till now. He created and publishes (editor) the journal Medical Robotics Reports. Hobby: Poet, composer, musician, sailor. He released the music album "Rok dobrego czlowieka" ("A Year of Good Man") by ZAWRATU.

Andrew Gumbs MD, PhD, Full Professor of Surgery. He is by profession General-, oncological-, minimally invasive- and robotic trained surgeon. He is currently the Chief Surgical Officer at the American Hospital Tbilisi in Georgia. Professor Gumbs was previously Director of the Minimally Invasive Hepatic-Pancreatic-Biliary Surgery Program at SMG-MD Anderson Cancer Center and prior to that the Director of Minimally Invasive Hepatobiliary Surgery and at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has been Instructor of Clinical Surgery at Cornell-Weill Medical College, Instructor of Clinical Surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Department of Surgical Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Artificial Intelligence Surgery (aisjournal.net) and is a member of the editorial boards for Journal of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Mini-Invasive Surgery and Digestive Medicine Research. He is certified in general surgery, hepatic-pancreatic and biliary surgery and in minimally invasive surgery. He has delivered local, regional, national, and international invited presentations primarily devoted to artificial intelligence surgery and minimally invasive surgical techniques for the liver, pancreas, and digestive organs. His articles have been published in Annals of Surgery, Journal of the American College of Surgeons and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. He has volunteered for Doctors Without Borders.