No. 48c

A shared vision of life without cancer

Signing of the MoU: Prof. Michael Baumann, Chairman of the Board and Scientific Director DKFZ; Prof. Josef Puchta, Administrative Director DKFZ; Dr. Peter Pisters, President and Chief Executive Officer University Health Network, Toronto, Dr. Mary Gospodarowicz, Medical Director, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Signing of the MoU: Prof. Michael Baumann, Chairman of the Board and Scientific Director DKFZ; Prof. Josef Puchta, Administrative Director DKFZ; Dr. Peter Pisters, President and Chief Executive Officer University Health Network, Toronto, Dr. Mary Gospodarowicz, Medical Director, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre

Two leading cancer research centres with a shared vision of life without cancer today announced they will collaborate to advance world-class research programs and education to benefit patients around the globe. The partners – Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, and the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum "DKFZ"), Heidelberg, – signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Toronto establishing the principles and framework for their collaboration.

Under terms of the MOU, the partners will share best-practice information in basic, translational and clinical research, support innovation in cancer research programs, establish a joint clinician and medical scientist program, and promote faculty, student and trainee exchange visits. Signing on behalf of the Princess Margaret, Dr. Mary Gospodarowicz, Medical Director, said: “Cancer is a growing health problem in the world. To achieve the best future outcomes requires concerted collaborations to accelerate progress.

“The partnership between DKFZ and the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre will provide an international platform for generating new ideas, exchanging information, and creating new opportunities in research and education with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes and conquering cancer.“

On behalf of DKFZ, Dr. Michael Baumann, Chairman and Scientific Director,
and Dr. Josef Puchta signed the memorandum. Baumann said: “The international leading research centers DKFZ and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre have many similarities that make this partnership a natural choice for establishing a transatlantic patient-oriented cancer research platform. “With joint bilateral research projects and a new international clinician and medical scientist program, the cooperation will be a powerful driver of innovative cancer research at a global level.“

Dr. Otmar Wiestler, President of the Helmholtz Association of national research centres of which DKFZ is a member, said both institutions perform cutting-edge research that contributes substantially to solving the grand challenges of cancer.

“In order to achieve our ambitious goals, we need to promote the best young talents,“ Dr. Wiestler said. “With the new partnership between our colleagues in Heidelberg and Toronto, we can develop a ground-breaking bi-national model to train the next generation of brilliant clinician and medical scientists. It will also establish a strong basis for cooperative projects in personalized oncology.“

About DKFZ

With more than 3,000 employees, the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) is Germany’s largest biomedical research institute. DKFZ scientists identify cancer risk factors, investigate how cancer progresses and develop new cancer prevention strategies. They are also developing new methods to diagnose tumors more precisely and treat cancer patients more successfully. The DKFZ's Cancer Information Service (KID) provides patients, interested citizens and experts with individual answers to questions relating to cancer.

To transfer promising approaches from cancer research to the clinic and thus improve the prognosis of cancer patients, the DKFZ cooperates with excellent research institutions and university hospitals throughout Germany:

  • National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT, 6 sites)
  • German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, 8 sites)
  • Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ) Heidelberg
  • Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON Mainz) - A Helmholtz Institute of the DKFZ
  • DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim
  • National Cancer Prevention Center (jointly with German Cancer Aid)

The DKFZ is 90 percent financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and 10 percent by the state of Baden-Württemberg. The DKFZ is a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers.