Second General Meeting Alumni DKFZ Heidelberg

The second General Meeting of the Alumni Association (that had been founded two years ago) took place in the Communication Center of the DKFZ from May 12-13. Besides current DKFZ Scientists, Alumni from China, Egypt, Finland, Germany, India, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and the USA were among the 150 participants, providing an ideal basis to achieve one of the main aims of the Alumni Association, namely the worldwide promotion of personal contacts and the mutual exchange of scientific ideas between former and current members of the DKFZ.

During the first day of the meeting the demanding scientific program was exclusively covered by internationally renowned DKFZ-Alumni who presented important aspects of the regulation of gene expression and cell replication, and of the differentiation of haematopoietic stem cells and their application to cancer therapy. The lectures in these two sessions reflected the state of the art in the respective research areas and stimulated a lively discussion which was continued during a poster presentation of most recent research results immediately after the symposium. The first authors of three of the posters exhibited were awarded by a prize of 300 Euro each.

The awards were handed over to the laureates, Dr. Alexander Hermani, Dr. Daniel Mertens, and Evgenij Moskalyov, during an evening reception by the Management Board and Alumni DKFZ, by the Chairman of Alumni DKFZ, Professor Peter Bannasch. Highlights of the reception were an overview on research perspectives of the DKFZ by the Chairman and Scientific Member of the DKFZ Management Board, Professor Otmar Wiestler, and a presentation of perspectives, challenges and solutions of international research funding by the Secretary General of the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft), Dr. Reinhard Grunwald – former Administrative Member of the DKFZ Management Board for many years. This most recent information on science policy was framed by beautiful pieces of music performed by the Heidelberg Doctor´s Orchestra under the direction of its founder and longstanding conductor, Professor Michael Steinhausen, with Michael Veit as solo cellist. The musicians left a permanent impression to all auditors, particularly with the wonderful adagio “Kol Nidre” by Max Bruch.

In the morning of May 13, representatives of the research programs of the DKFZ introduced outstanding recent research results. The presentations were at a high scientific level and primely reflected the current research activities of the DKFZ. The morning was concluded by the general assembly of DKFZ Alumni. In addition to the chairman, the treasurer, Dr. Konrad Buschbeck, and the Secretary of Alumni DKFZ, Elfriede Mang, were predominantly responsible for the preparation and smooth running of the general assembly. On this occasion the treasurer could make the most enjoyable announcement that the Dietmar-Hopp-Stiftung has sponsored the meeting with a generous donation of 5.000,-- Euro. In the meantime we were pleased to receive a donation of 1.000,-- Euro from Roche Diagnostics.

Elfriede Egenlauf and Dr. Fritz Klimek were elected unanimously as future auditors of the Association. In the afternoon, the remaining hard-core of the meeting made a wonderful boat trip on the Neckar river. All participants will keep in their memories the lovely spring panorama of the Neckar valley, and the lively personal exchange of ideas during this trip.

The photographs were kindly provided by Professor Gerhard van Kaick, DKFZ.

Peter Bannasch