Major Cancer Biology Faculty

Faculty, Lecturers and Instructors - scientists from all DKFZ Research Programs actively contribute to the education of our master students and provide splendid interdisciplinary training in basic and translational cancer research in the fields of molecular and cellular tumor biology, biophysics and medical physics, structural and functional genomics and proteomics, systems biology, tumor immunology, tumor virology, tumor epidemiology, toxicology, and translational oncology.

Faculty, Lecturers and Instructors

A woman in a red sweater holds a certificate while standing next to a man in a light blue shirt. They are both smiling and standing in front of a green chalkboard, celebrating an achievement related to cancer biology education.

Many DKFZ laboratories are incorporated into our innovative Major "Cancer Biology" Program. This allows the students to experience cutting edge science and to interact with internationally leading scientists at a very early stage of their career.
The lists of lecturers and instructors actively involved in the Major Cancer Biology study program are arranged according to their affiliation with the various Research Divisions and Groups of the five DKFZ Research Programs (Forschungsschwerpunkte):

Prof. Dr. Hellmut AUGUSTIN, Division of Vascular Oncology and Metastasis (A190)
Prof. Dr. Tobias DICK, Division of Redox Regulation (A160)
Dr. Marieke ESSERS, Division of Inflammatory Stress in Stem Cells (A011)
Prof. Dr. Michaela FRYE, Division of Mechanisms Regulating Gene Expression (A350)
Dr. Nahia GÓMEZ ECHARTE, Division of Epigenetics (A130)
Prof. Dr. Ilse HOFMANN, Division of Vascular Oncology and Metastasis (A190)
Dr. Melina HUSSMANN, Division of Vascular Oncology and Metastasis (A190)
Dr. Rene-Filip JACKSTADT, Junior Research Group Cancer Progression and Metastasis (A013) and HI-STEM
Dr. Ashok Kumar JAYAVELU, Research Group Proteomics and Cancer Cell Signaling in the Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Leukemia (A400) and Hopp Children's Cancer Center KiTZ
Dr. Susanne KLEBER, Division of Molecular Neurobiology (A290)
Dr. Hai-Kun LIU, Division of Molecular Neurogenetics (A240)
Prof. Dr. Frank LYKO, Division of Epigenetics (A130)
Dr. Moritz MALL, Division of Cell Fate Engineering and Disease Modeling (A340)
Prof. Dr. Ana MARTIN-VILLALBA, Division of Molecular Neurobiology (A290)
Dr. Michael MILSOM, Division of Experimental Hematology (A012)
Dr. Wilhem PALM, Division of Cell Signaling and Metabolism (A330)
Prof. Dr. Almut SCHULZE, Division of Tumour Metabolism and Microenvironment (A410)
Prof. Dr. Andreas TRUMPP, Division of Stem Cells and Cancer (A010) and HI-STEM
Prof. Dr. Viktor UMANSKY, Clinical Cooperation Unit Dermato-Oncology (A370)
Dr. Jennifer WISCHHUSEN, Division of Stem Cells and Cancer (A010)
PD Dr. Kilian WISTUBA-HAMPRECHT, Clinical Cooperation Unit Dermato-Oncology (A370)

Dr. Annalisa ADDANTE, Division of Systems Biology of Signal Transduction (B200)
Dr. Ana BANITO, Division of Soft-Tissue Sarcoma (B380) and Hopp Children's Cancer Center KiTZ
Dr. Jonas BECKER, Division of Cancer Epigenomics (B370)
Dr. Natalie BERGHAUS, Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuropathology (B300) and Department of Neuropathology, Heidelberg University Institute of Pathology
Dr. Kim BOONEKAMP, Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics (B110)
Prof. Dr. Michael BOUTROS, Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics (B110)
Prof. Dr. Benedikt BRORS, Division of Applied Bioinformatics (B330)
PD Dr. Maïwen CAUDRON-HERGER, Research Group RNA-Protein Complexes and Cell Proliferation (B150)
Dr. Priya CHUDASAMA, Emmy Noether Junior Research Group Precision Sarcoma Research (B390)
Dr. Stefania DEL PRETE, Division of Regulatory Genomics and Cancer Evolution (B270)
Dr. Cihan ERKUT, Division of Applied Functional Genomics (B290)
Prof. Dr. Aurélie ERNST, Division of Genome Instability in Tumors (B420)
Dr. Angelika FELDMANN, DKFZ Junior Group Mechanisms of Genome Control (B460)
Dr. Andres FLORES VALLE, Research Group Experimental Neurooncology, CCU Neurooncology (B320)
Dr. Clarissa GERHÄUSER, Cancer Chemoprevention and Epigenomics Group in the Division of Cancer Epigenomics (B370)
Dr. Jan GERWIN, Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics (B110)
Dr. Mark HARTMANN, Division of Translational Medical Oncology (B340) and and NCT Section Translational Cancer Epigenomics
Prof. Dr. David T.W. JONES, Division of Pediatric Glioma Research (B360) and Hopp Children's Cancer Center KiTZ
Dr. Matthia KARREMAN, Brain Metastases Research Team, Research Group Experimental Neurooncology, CCU Neurooncology (B320)
Prof. Dr. Ursula KLINGMÜLLER, Division of Systems Biology of Signal Transduction (B200)
Dr. Cindy KÖRNER, Division of Metabolic Crosstalk in Cancer (B350)
Prof. Dr. Jeroen KRIJGSVELD, Division of Proteomics of Stem Cells and Cancer (B230)
Dr. Lena KUTSCHER, DKFZ Junior Research Group Developmental Origins of Pediatric Cancer (B430) and Hopp Children's Cancer Center KiTZ
PD Dr. Daniel LIPKA, Division of Translational Medical Oncology (B340) and NCT Section Translational Cancer Epigenomics
Dr. Maria LLAMAZARES PRADA, Lung Cancer Epigenomics Group in the Division of Cancer Epigenomics (B370)
Dr. Fabricio LOAYZA-PUCH, Junior Research Group Translational Control and Metabolism (B250)
Dr. Anand MAYAKONDA THIPPESWAMY, Group Leader Bioinformatics, Division of Translational Neuroblastoma Research (B087) and Hopp Children's Cancer Center KiTZ
Dr. Pradhipa MANIVANNAN, Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics (B110)
Prof. Dr. Duncan ODOM, Division of Regulatory Genomics and Cancer Evolution (B270)
Prof. Dr. Ina OEHME, Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology (B310) and Hopp Children's Cancer Center KiTZ
Prof. Dr. Christiane OPITZ, Division of Metabolic Crosstalk in Cancer (B350)
Prof. Dr. Stefan PFISTER, Division of Pediatric Neurooncology (B062) and Hopp Children's Cancer Center KiTZ
Prof. Dr. Christoph PLASS, Division of Cancer Epigenomics (B370)
Dr. Yasmine POBIEDONOSCEW, Division of Translational Medical Oncology (B340) and NCT Section Translational Cancer Epigenomics
Dr. Fillip PORT, Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics (B110)
Dr. Tamara PRENTZELL, Division of Metabolic Crosstalk in Cancer (B350)
PD Dr. Stefan PUSCH, Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuropathology (B300) and Research Group “Funktionelle Analyse tumor-assoziierter Mutationen”, Department of Neuropathology, Heidelberg University Institute of Pathology
Dr. Michael SCHERER, Computational and Single-Cell Epigenomics Group in the Division of Cancer Epigenomics (B370)
Dr. Marcel SCHILLING, Division of Systems Biology of Signal Transduction (B200)
Prof. Dr. Claudia SCHOLL, Division of Applied Functional Genomics (B290)
Dr. Maximilian SCHÖNUNG, Division of Translational Medical Oncology (B340) and NCT Section Translational Cancer Epigenomics
Dr. Gianluca SIGISMONDO, Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuropathology (B300) and Translational Proteomics and Epigenetics Team, Department of Neuropathology, Heidelberg University Institute of Pathology
Prof. Dr. Aurelio TELEMAN, Division of Signal Transduction in Cancer and Metabolism (B140)
Dr. Johanna WAGNER, Division of Translational Oncology (B340) and NCT
Dr. Dieter WEICHENHAN, Division of Cancer Epigenomics (B370)
PD Dr. Frank WESTERMANN, Division of Translational Neuroblastoma Research (B087) and Hopp Children's Cancer Center KiTZ
Prof. Dr. Stefan WIEMANN, Division of Molecular Genome Analysis (B050)
Dr. Martina ZOWADA, Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics (B110)
Dr. Marc ZUCKERMANN, Preclinical Modeling Group, Division of Pediatric Neurooncology (B062) and Hopp Children's Cancer Center KiTZ

Prof. Dr. Michael HOFFMEISTER, Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research (C070)
Prof. Dr. Justo LORENZO BERMEJO, Institute of Medical Biometry and Informatics (IMBI), University Hospital Heidelberg
Dr. Karol NOWICKI-OSUCH, DKFZ Junior Research Group Tumorigenesis and Molecular Cancer Prevention (C150)
Dr. Tim WATERBOER, Division of Infections and Cancer Epidemiology (C230)

Dr. Elias AMRO, Division of Immune Diversity (D150)
Prof. Dr. Stella AUTENRIETH, Research Group Dendritic Cells in Infection and Cancer in the Division of Virus-associated Carcinogenesis (D431)
Dr. Marco BINDER, Research Goup Dynamics of early viral infection and the innate antiviral response in the Division of Virus-associated Carcinogenesis (D430)
Dr. Dr. Franziska BLAESCHKE, DKFZ Junior Research Group Pediatric Immuno-Oncology (D270)
PD Dr. Veit BUCHHOLZ, Division of Immunology (D290)
Dr. Timo BUND, Research Group Episomal-Persistent DNA in Cancer- and Chronic Diseases (D460)
Prof. Dr. Dr. Lukas BUNSE, Cell Therapy Team, CCU Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology (D170)
Dr. Vincenz BUSCHINGER, Division of Immunology (D290)
Prof. Dr. Dr. Henri-Jacques DELECLUSE, Division of Pathogenesis of Virus Associated Tumors (D400)
PD Dr. Susanne DELÉCLUSE, Division of Pathogenesis of Virus Associated Tumors (D400)
Dr. Nikolaus DIETLEIN, Division of Cellular Immunology (D110)
Dr. Dr. Michael DILL, Junior Research Group Experimental Hepatology, Inflammation and Cancer (D500)
Dr. Katia DITTUS, Clinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy (D490) and NCT
Prof. Dr. Stefan EICHMÜLLER, Research Group GMP and T Cell Therapy (D210)
Dr. Thorsten FEYERABEND, Division of Cellular Immunology (D110)
Dr. Edward GREEN, Immunogenomics Team in the Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology (D170)
Prof. Dr. Dirk GRIMM, Research Group Viral Vector Technologies, Bioquant, University of Heidelberg (Grimm lab)
Dr. Richard HARBOTTLE, Research Group DNA Vectors (D420)
Dr. Gemma HARTLEY, Division of B Cell Immunology (D130)
Dr. Felix HARTMANN, Junior Research Group Systems Immunology and Single Cell Biology (D260)
Dr. Daniel KIRSCHENBAUM, Junior Research Group Immunodynamics and Cancer (D280)
Dr. Dr. Mathias LEBER, Applied ViroTherapeutics Group in the Clinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy (D490) and NCT
Dr. Marten MEYER, Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity (D120)
Prof. Dr. Martin MÜLLER, Research Group Tumorvirus-specific Vaccination Strategies (D335)
Dr. Hafsa MUNIR, Junior Research Group Stromal Immunology (D195) and HI-TRON Mainz
PD Dr. Dirk NETTELBECK, Oncolytic Adenovirus Group in the Clinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy (D490) and NCT
Dr. Jürg NÜESCH, Research Group Parvovirus Host Cell Interactions in the Division of Virus-associated Carcinogenesis (D430)
Prof. Dr. Rienk OFFRINGA, Division of Molecular Oncology of Gastrointestinal Tumors (D200) and DKFZ-Bayer Immunotherapeutics Lab
Dr. Wolfram OSEN, Research Group GMP and T Cell Therapy (D210)
Prof. Dr. Fotini (Nina) PAPAVASILIOU, Division of Immune Diversity (D150)
Dr. Isabel POSCHKE, NCT Immune Monitoring Unit, Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology (D170)
Dr. Jens PUSCHHOF, Junior Research Group Epithelium Microbiome lnteractions (D300)
PD Dr. Dr. Angelika RIEMER, Division of Immunotherapy and Immunoprevention (D410)
Dr. Patrick SCHMIDT, Cellular Therapies Team in the Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity (D120) and NCT; Research Group GMP & T Cell Therapy (D210)
PD Dr. Martina SEIFFERT, Division of Immune Modulation in Cancer (D310)
Dr. Ana STOJANOVIC, Immunobiochemistry Division (UMM)
Prof. Dr. Dr. Guy UNGERECHTS, Clinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy (D490) and NCT
Dr. Ilka WAHL, Division of B Cell Immunology (D130)
Prof. Dr. Hedda WARDEMANN, Division of B Cell Immunology (D130)
Dr. Heiko WEYD, Research Group Tumorvirus-specific Vaccination Strategies (D335) and Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity (D120)

Prof. Dr. Dr. Amir ABDOLLAHI, Clinical Cooperation Unit Translational Radiation Oncology (E210)
Prof. Dr. Peter BACHERT, Research Group NMR spectroscopy and CEST imaging, Division of Medical Physics in Radiology (E020)
Dr. Martina BENEŠOVÁ-SCHÄFER, Junior Research Group Translational Radiotheranostics (E270)
PD Dr. Sebastian BICKELHAUPT, tMRI Lab, Institute of Radiology. University Hospital Erlangen
Dr. Philip BOYD, Research Group MR spectroscopy and CEST imaging, Division of Medical Physics in Radiology (E020)
Dr. Thomas FIEDLER, Research Group Electromagnetic Simulations and RF Safety, Division of Medical Physics in Radiology (E020)
Dr. Aoife GAHLAWAT, Clinical Cooperation Unit Translational Radiation Oncology (E210)
Prof. Dr. Jochen HESS, Experimental and Translational Head and Neck Oncology in the Division Radiooncology / Radiobiology (E220) and Heidelberg University Hospital
Dr. Jürgen JENNE, Clinical Cooperation Unit Molecular Radiation Oncology (E055)
Dr. Manfred JUGOLD, Core Facility Small Animal Imaging Center (W240)
Prof. Dr. Christian KARGER, Research Group Applied Medical Radiation Physics, Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology (E040)
Dr. Stefan KEGEL, Division of Medical Physics in Radiology (E020)
Dr. Andreas KORZOWSKI, Research Group NMR spectroscopy and CEST imaging, Division of Medical Physics in Radiology (E020)
Dr. Tristan KUDER, Research Group Diffusion Weighted Imaging, Division of Medical Physics in Radiology (E020)
Dr. Jan KUNTZ, Equinox Healthcare Radiation Therapy Centre
Dr. Ina KURTH, Division of Radiooncology / Radiobiology (E220)
Prof. Dr. Mark LADD, Division of Medical Physics in Radiology (E020)
Rupert LANG, Staff Unit Radiation Protection and Dosimetry (W060)
Dr. Alexandra LIPKA, Research Group 13C Hyperpolarization, Division of Medical Physics in Radiology (E020)
Dr. Martin NIKLAS, Division of Radiology (E010)
Dr. Jörg PETER, Research Group Functional and Molecular Emission Computed Tomography, Division of Medical Physics in Radiology (E020)
Dr. Mareike ROSCHER, Morszeck Preclinical Trial Unit (PCTU), Division of Radiooncology / Radiobiology (E220)
Dr. Stefan SAWALL, Division of X-Ray Imaging and Computed Tomography (E025)
Dr. Christina STENGL, Research Group Translational Research for Ion Beam Therapy, Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology (E040)
Dr. Jose Alberto VEDELAGO, Research Group Translational Research for Ion Beam Therapy, Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology (E040)
Dr. Niklas WAHL, Research Group Radiotherapy Optimization, Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology (E040)
Dr. Barbara WITULLA, Staff Unit Radiation Protection and Dosimetry (W060)
Prof. Dr. Christian ZIENER, Division of Radiology (E010)

How to become a Major Cancer Biology Faculty Member?

If you are DKFZ scientist or cooperative partner and wish to actively contribute to our study program by, e.g., giving lectures or tutorials, by organizing (part of) a HP-F practical, please contact the Coordinator, Prof. Ilse Hofmann (for contact see below), to discuss how your offer can be integrated to the program. We are always happy to welcome new active contributors!

In certain cases, teaching activities at the Bachelor level can also be honored by becoming a Major Cancer Biology faculty member.

Get in touch with us

A woman with short, blonde hair and glasses smiles warmly. She is dressed in a dark top and is in a bright environment, suggesting a professional setting. The focus is on her friendly expression.

Prof. Dr. Ilse Hofmann

Scientific Coordinator Major Cancer Biology

Eva Gundel

please direct all e-mail inquiries about the program to the Administration Office of Major Cancer Biology @ DKFZ

+49 6221 42 3401