Dr. med. Thomas Brunk

Vita and career

Career

Dr. med. Thomas Brunk is a highly qualified specialist in gastroenterology who runs his practice in Berlin-Karlshorst and runs a specialist practice for gastroenterology at Wittenbergplatz. He began his medical career after studying human medicine at Humboldt University Berlin and Saarland University. His extensive training was enriched by stays abroad at King’s College Hospital in London and Tulane Medical School in New Orleans. Before setting up his own practice, Dr. Brunk worked as a senior consultant in gastroenterology at Vivantes Klinikum im Friedrichshain, where he was also in charge of outpatient specialist care for gastrointestinal tumors.

Dr. Brunk has made a name for himself through his work in various renowned hospitals in Berlin and Bremerhaven. His specialist qualifications in internal medicine, gastroenterology, hematology and internal oncology testify to his deep medical understanding and his ability to master complex medical challenges. He also has an additional qualification in emergency medicine and specialist qualifications in radiation protection. Dr. Brunk has gained particular expertise in interventional endoscopy, especially in the areas of endoscopic resection procedures, interventional endosonography and ERCP.

His skills in these demanding procedures make him a sought-after specialist for patients with complex gastroenterological diseases.
His doctorate on the subject of “Tumor-specific antigens for specific immunotherapies of malignant diseases” at the University of Mainz under the supervision of Prof. Özlem Türeci and Prof. Ugur Sahin underlines his commitment to research and the development of new therapeutic approaches.

In addition to his clinical work, Dr. med. Thomas Brunk has also been involved in scientific research. As an investigator, he has been involved in several clinical trials, including the ACO/ARO/AIO-18.2 trial comparing preoperative FOLFOX chemotherapy with postoperative risk-adapted chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, and the IRITACE trial evaluating transarterial chemoembolization with irinotecan and mitomycin C versus TACE with doxorubicin in patients with non-curatively treatable hepatocellular carcinoma. He also led the “Rabbit” study, a prospective multi-center study for the rapid evaluation of small bowel bleeding using HemoPill®.

Dr. Brunk has published numerous articles in the scientific literature, including articles on the expression of serologically identified tumor antigens in acute leukemias and on a novel tumor-associated leucine zipper protein that acts at sites of gene transcription and splicing. As a co-author, he has published articles in renowned journals such as “Leukemia Research”, “Oncogene” and “Clinical Cancer Research”. He has also co-authored chapters in reference books such as “Arbeitsplatzbuch Endoskopie” and “Successful Training in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy”, which highlight his expertise in endoscopic full-wall resection and other advanced endoscopic procedures. These scientific activities underscore Dr. Brunk’s commitment to the advancement of gastroenterological medicine and his role as a leading expert in his field.

Personally, Dr. Brunk was born and raised in Stuttgart, has German citizenship and is proud of his family with two children. He enjoys spending his free time with his family and is involved in various medical associations in order to constantly expand his knowledge and keep it up to date.

Contact information

Dr. med. Thomas Brunk
Mobile: +49 1704773870
thomas.brunk@gastroenterologie-brunk.de

Personal data

Born on: 15.07.1974
Place of birth: Stuttgart
Marital status: Married, two children (14 and 3 years)

Dr. med. Brunk Gastroenterology Berlin

Professional experience

  • September 2017 to March 2024 Senior Consultant Gastroenterology, Vivantes Klinikum im Friedrichshain, with Prof. Dr. Juergen Hochberger
  • April 2023 to March 2024 Team leader of outpatient specialist care (ASV) according to § 116b SGB V for the indication gastrointestinal tumors and tumors of the abdominal cavity (GIT), Vivantes Klinikum am Friedrichshain
  • 01.04.2024 Establishment as a gastroenterologist, takeover of the special practices of Dr. Mroß

Previous employment:

  • January 2014 to August 2017 Senior physician at Sankt Gertrauden Hospital in Berlin, Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology with Dr. Haist
  • August 2010 to December 2013 Senior physician at St. Joseph Hospital Bremerhaven, Department of Hematology, Oncology and Gastroenterology under Prof. Dr. Heidtmann.
  • June 2009 to June 2010 Senior physician and rota officer at Bremerhaven Reinkenheide Hospital, Department of Gastroenterology under Prof. Dr. Kurtz
  • November 2004 to May 2009 Resident at Bremerhaven Reinkenheide Hospital, Department of Gastroenterology under Prof. Dr. Kurtz
  • January to October 2004 Resident at the Caritas Clinic St. Theresia in Saarbrücken, Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Cardiology with Prof. Dr. Lutz
  • 2002 to 2003 Internship at the University Hospital Tübingen, Hematology/Oncology with Prof. Dr. Kantz

Education

Study of human medicine:

  • Humboldt University Berlin, 1999 – 2002
    Saarland University, 1995 – 1999

Stays abroad during his studies in 1998 and 2000:

  • Internship in Internal Medicine at King’s College Hospital in London/UK
    Internal tertial of the PJ at Tulane Medical School in New Orleans

Nursing internships:

  • 1995 and 1996 at the Marienhospital and Bürgerhospital in Stuttgart

Military service:

  • 1994 to 1995 in Mountain Medical Battalion 8 in Kempten, Medical Course II at the Bundeswehr Hospital in Hamburg, internship in the rescue service of the German Red Cross.

School attendance:

  • 1994 Abitur at the Königin-Charlotte-Gymnasium in Stuttgart
  • 1981 to 1994 Primary school and grammar school in Stuttgart

 

Professional qualifications

Specialist qualification

Hematology and internal oncology November 2013
Gastroenterology November 2010
Internal Medicine November 2008

Further qualification: Additional qualification in emergency medicine June 2008

Specialist knowledge in radiation protection

  • X-ray3.3 – Abdomen
  • X-ray3.2 – Thorax
  • Rö7 – Use of X-rays for fluoroscopic interventions on an organ system – Abdomen

License to practice medicine: January 2004

Doctorate: 2003 at the University of Mainz under Prof. Özlem Türeci and Prof. Ugur Sahin. Doctoral thesis: “Tumor-specific antigens for specific immunotherapies of malignant diseases”

Expertise in interventional endoscopy

Endoscopic resection procedures including ESD (endoscopic submucosal dissection) and eFTR (endoscopic full-thickness resection)
Interventional endosonography with pseudocyst drainage, necrosectomy, choledochoduodenostomy, hepatogastrostomy, as well as HotAxios-assisted cholecystobulbostomy and gastroenterostomy
ERCP including choledochoscopy and PTCD

Scientific activities

Investigator of clinical studies:

  • ACO/ARO/AIO-18.2: Preoperative FOLFOX versus postoperative risk-adapted chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer and low risk for local failure: A randomized Phase III Trial of the German Rectal Canceer Study Group
  • Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with Irinotecan and Mitomycin C versus TACE with Doxorubicin in patients with Hepatocellular carcinoma not amenable to curative treatment – IRITACE- a randomized multicenter phase 2 trial. A trial of the German Alliance for Liver Cancer (GALC)
  • Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine plus cisplatin followed by radical liver resection versus immediate radical liver resection alone with or without adjuvant chemotherapy in incidentally detected gallbladder carcinoma after simple cholecystectomy or in front of radical resection of BTC (ICC/ECC) – a phase III study of the German registry of incidental gallbladder carcinoma platform (GR)- the AIO/ CALGP/ ACO- GAIN-trial
  • ADVANCE – A phase II single-arm, open-label study of Atezolizumab and Derazantinib for patients with advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with FGFR2 fusions/rearrangements (AIO)
  • HemoPill Acute ® in Suspected Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding – Universtätsklinikum Würzburg
  • BarrettNet: Identification and analysis of biomarkers for the development of adenocarcinoma from Barrett’s esophagus using PAXgene® tissue fixation – Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München

Head of clinical trial:

  • “Rabbit” trial – Rapid assessment of small bowel bleeding by HemoPill® in transit. Investigator initiated prospective multicenter trial – Vivantes Klinikum im Friedrichshain Berlin, Gastroenterology – DRKS-ID DRKS00026103

Publications

Trade journals:

  • “Expression of serologically identified tumor antigens in acute leukemias.” Niemeyer P, Türeci O, Eberle T, Graf N, Pfreundschuh M, Sahin U. Leuk Res. 2003 Jul;27(7):655-60.
  • “A novel tumor associated leucine zipper protein targeting to sites of gene transcription and splicing.” Türeci O, Sahin U, Koslowski M, Buss B, Bell C, Ballweber P, Zwick C, Eberle T, Zuber M, Villena-Heinsen C, Seitz G, Pfreundschuh M. Oncogene. 2002 May 30;21(24):3879-88.
  • “Expression of cancer testis genes in human brain tumors.” Sahin U, Koslowski M, Türeci O, Eberle T, Zwick C, Romeike B, Moringlane JR, Schwechheimer K, Feiden W, Pfreundschuh M. Clin Cancer Res. 2000 Oct;6(10):3916-22.
  • “Bleeding plug in the gastric outlet – rare complication of a giant lipoma in the antrum.” Fischer T.;Z Gastroenterol. 2013 Oct;51(10):1188-92. doi: 10.1055/s-0033-1350449. Epub 2013 Oct 11. Review. German.
  • “Telemetric capsule-based upper gastrointestinal tract – blood detection – first multicentric experience.” Brunk T, Schmidt A, Hochberger J, Wedi E, Meier B, Braun G, Neser F, Schneider M, Kandler J, Bauerfeind P, Repp M, Weingart V, Brand M, Caca K, Wannhoff A, Messmann H, Karpynec S, Kubisch I, Albert J, Neuhaus H, Schmitz L, Allescher HD, Meining A, Kuellmer A. Minim Invasive Ther Allied Technol. 2021 Aug 3:1-8. doi: 10.1080/13645706.2021.1954534.
  • “Current developments in the field of video capsule endoscopy” Thomas Brunk Der Gastroenterologe, Volume 17, pages 74-85 (2022)

Reference books

  • Co-authorship: “Arbeitsplatzbuch Endoskopie” – Thieme Publisher 2018, Uwe Gottschalk, Silvia Maeting, Stefan Kahl: Chapter 15.4- “Endoscopic full thickness resection” – Thomas Fischer, Sandra Welsandt
  • Co-authorship: “Successful Training in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy”, Cohen, Jonathan, 2nd Edition December 2021, Practical Approach Book, ISBN: 978-1-119-52964-4: Chapter “Endoscopic Mucosal Resection and Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection” – Prof. Hochberger, Thomas Brunk

Memberships in professional associations

  • DGVS – German Society for Digestive and Metabolic Diseases
    – Member of the DGVS endo research working group
  • DGE-BV – German Society for Endoscopy and Imaging Techniques
  • ESGE – European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
  • DGHO – German Society for Hematology and Oncology
  • DKG – German Cancer Society
  • AIO – Working Group for Internal Oncology
  • ESMO – European Society of Medical Oncology