Spieth has been working at the University Hospital since 2006 and has been Deputy Director of the Hospital since 2018. He heads the anaesthesiology intensive care unit and played a key role in establishing the Dresden Centre for the Treatment of Severe Respiratory Failure. Since October 2026, he has also held the W3 Chair in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine at TU Dresden. He had previously turned down an offer from another university. Alongside his clinical work, his research focuses on the further development of intensive care treatment methods. These include new ventilation techniques, digital medicine, data-driven analyses and smart sensor technology. Spieth has published more than 170 scientific papers to date and secured over three million euros in external funding. With this change in leadership, the University Hospital is prioritising personnel and scientific continuity in a key area of maximum-level care. The department employs more than 170 doctors and carries out around 35,000 anaesthetic procedures annually. In addition, it treats more than 1,500 patients requiring intensive care, whilst also undertaking tasks in emergency medicine and pain management. The succession plan also reflects the growing integration of clinical intensive care, technological development and data-driven research. This is giving rise to new approaches for the further development of patient care, particularly in the treatment of severe lung diseases and the use of digital procedures.
Press release from ‘Leipzig University Hospital’ dated 14 October 2026