History of our Center

1823 – 1897 Veterinary Institut

1823 "Physics and Chemistry" is, among other subjects, allocated a professorship at the Veterinary Institute (precursor of VetMed Vienna)
1853 Andreas Bruckmüller becomes the first holder of this professorship. His successor is Moritz Friedrich Röll.
1861 A. Bruckmüllers "Textbook of the physics for veterinary studies" is published by the publishing house Braumüller
1871 – 1897 Physics is not represented in the curriculum

1897 – 1945 Vienna Veterinary University

1897 The Veterinary Institute becomes a university, physics combines with physiology in a professorship
1908 Physics becomes independent, first representative: Viktor Franz Hess (Nobel Prize 1936). V. Hess teaches Medical Physics at the Vienna Veterinary University from 1908 to 1920 and is also director of the Medical Physics institute.
1920 Hess meets the Viennese physicist Friedrich Wilhelm Hauer and selects him to be his successor at the Vienna Veterinary University.
1938 Hauer is dismissed from the Vienna Veterinary University for political reasons
1938-1940 Herbert Schober becomes head of the Medical Physics institute at the Vienna Veterinary University (Schober then carries out military service from July 1940 onwards)
Dec. 1941 Georg Hofbauer takes over the responsibility for lectures, exercises and exams in physics at the Vienna Veterinary University.

1945 – 2003 Medical Faculty of the University of Vienna

November 1945 Hauer returns to the Vienna Veterinary University to resume his post, lecturing on physics and proving exercises for students in the winter semester 1945/46
May 1946 Hauer receives the order from the Ministry of Education to submit a special lecture in physics for physicians. This is the first time a physics lecture is held at the medical faculty rather than at the philosophical faculty.
1952 Hauer receives the order as A.o. Professor at the Medical Faculty of the University to establish an Institute of Medical Physics and to oversee lectures, exercises and exams.
1960 Prof. Hauer retires from the University of Vienna and at the same time completes his work at the Vienna Veterinary University.
Oct. 1961 Johann Schedling becomes chairman of the Institute for Medical Physics at the University of Vienna
Main areas of research include air pollution control; aerosol analysis (particle size distribution, content of heavy metals, water-soluble compounds); gaseous air pollutants (nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, ozone); heavy metals and renal physiology; smoking and CO-Hb values; cooperation with the Commission for the Clean Air of the Austrian Academy of Sciences; the MA 22 (Air Quality Measurement Network of the Municipality of Vienna) and the Federal Environmental Agency
1983 MR is added to the Institute for Medical Physics
1985 Schedling becomes Emeritus Professor
1986 Adolf Friedrich Fercher becomes director of the Institute of Medical Physics
Research interests: Optics and MR physics
1986: first eye length measurement with partial coherence interferometry (measurement of a point or "0-dimensionale" measurement)
1991: first eye length measurement with heterodyne partial coherence interferometry (first optical A-scan or "1-dimensional" image)
1993: first Vienna in-vivo OCT tomogram (2-dimensional image)
1995: first demonstration of Fourier domain partial coherence interferometry on the eye (basis of all today's OCT devices)
June 2003 Foundation of the High Field MR Center by the Institute for Medical Physics and the University Clinic for Radiodiagnostics

1968 – 1982 Planning phase

4.10.1968 Request from Prof. Mayrhofer for the formation of a commission for hospital physics
24.10.1968 Formation of a commission for "matters of hospital physics and biomedical engineering"
3.11.1974

• Area of ​​2500 m² in the new AKH has to be planned.
• Immediate accommodation in the old house (former Garnison hospital)
• Tasks of the institute: Lessons; Development of biotechnical processes; Advising the institutes; Assistance in the implementation of technical projects; Appraisal of equipment; personnel requirements

20.11.1975 Application for the establishment of a "Department of Biotechnology" at the Institute for Medical Physics
12.7.1978 proposed change of name to "Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Physics"
16.11.1978 The budget committee of the Medical Faculty of the University of Vienna, at its meeting on 16. Nov. 1978, unanimously decides to apply for the establishment of an institute for "biomedical engineering and physics". The application is based on the final report of a commission which was carrying out preparatory work for the establishment of a central institute for biomedical engineering. According to this proposal, the institute should be divided into departments.
29.3.1979 Final decision for planned seven departments:

•     Biophysics (hospital physics, clinical physics)
•     Biotechnology (biomechanics)
•     Media didactics (Audiovision, Photo / Repro / Graphics)
•     Electronics and Computers
•     Chemical engineering
•     Operational economics
•     Workshop

10.2.1980 A letter from the Ministry approves the allocation of a Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Physics. With regard to the construction of the associated institute and the premises to be provided, it is assumed that this will take place at the latest with the commissioning or the establishment of the institute in the new AKH building.

1983 – 2003 Medical Faculty of the University of Vienna

1.12.1983 Herwig Thoma becomes Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Physics
1983-1990 Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Physics located at the second Surgical Clinic at the Univerity of Vienna
1983 – 1993 Thoma is the head of the Institute
Nov. 1985 Thoma asks Helmar Bergmann to take over the planning of the facilities of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Physics as well as the personnel planning for all physicists' responsibilities in this department.
1986 definitive name for "Department of Clinical Physics" is set
29.9.1988 In a letter from the Federal Minister to the City Council of the City of Vienna, it is decided that three departments will be set up at the Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Physics:
- Department of Biomedical Engineering
- Department of Clinical Physics
- Department of Operations Economics

Jan.1989 Faculty applies to the Ministry for the creation of a post of Senior Professor for the management of the Department of Clinical Physics
June 1989 The ministry approves the faculty's application
Feb 1990 Assignment of personnel to the Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Physics
1.4.1992 Helmar Bergmann becomes Professor of Clinical Physics
6.4.1992 Constituent Institute Conference organized by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Vienna
1990 – 1992 successive relocation to AKH for some areas of research:
Biomedical engineering: artificial heart + FES; Physics: Nuclear medicine, X-ray and ultrasound imaging
1993 – 2004 H. Bergmann is the head of the Institute