Press Releases
Double ERC success for DKFZ researchers
Ana Banito
© Marius Stark/DKFZ
With its "Consolidator Grants", the European Research Council (ERC) supports excellent scientists in advancing their independent careers. This year, Ana Banito (Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg/German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ) and Aurélie Ernst (DKFZ) are pleased to receive the prestigious ERC funding. Ana Banito will use the two million euros in funding to find new therapeutic approaches for the better treatment of sarcomas in children. Aurélie Ernst will use the grant to explore how and under what molecular circumstances cancer develops from cells with an unstable genome.
Chromosomal chaos promotes therapy resistance in leukemia cells and opens up new treatment approaches
CK-AML chromosomes even form ring-shaped structures
© Leppä/DKFZ
Chromosomal instability plays a crucial role in the progression of cancer: it shapes the properties of tumor cells and drives the development of therapy resistance. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the Heidelberg Stem Cell Institute HI-STEM* and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) used state-of-the-art single-cell analysis methods to analyze the cellular heterogeneity of a specific form of acute myeloid leukemia. Their data show how genetic and non-genetic factors determine the functional heterogeneity of blood cancer cells and reveal new therapeutic targets.
Twelve scientists ranking in the top 1%
© dkfz.de
Twelve scientists who conduct research at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) or head joint bridge departments with the DKFZ have made it to the top in 2024: they are among the leading one percent of the world's most cited researchers in their respective fields. Scientists whose work is particularly frequently cited by peers are considered to have above-average recognition in their field. Therefore, citation frequency is one of the important metrics for measuring the influence and performance of individual researchers.
Selenium proteins as a possible new target for cancer research
Metastasis of a neuroblastoma in a mouse model
© dkfz.de
An important enzyme helps the body produce selenium proteins – this discovery could open up new strategies for treating cancer in children. This has been published by scientists from the University of Würzburg, the University Sao Paolo, the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Heidelberg Stem Cell Institute HI-STEM*.
New vaccines offer hope for brain tumor patients
Michael Platten
© J. Jung/DKFZ
Michael Platten is the winner of the "Breakthrough of the Year 2024" in the Life Sciences category of the Falling Walls Foundation.
Language model "UroBot“ surpasses the accuracy of experienced urologists
© Fotolia
Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), together with doctors from the Urological Clinic of the Mannheim University Hospital, have developed and successfully tested a chatbot based on artificial intelligence. "UroBot" was able to answer questions from the urology specialist examination with a high degree of accuracy, surpassing both other language models and the accuracy of experienced urologists. The model justifies its answers in detail based on the guidelines.
Critical Pathway for rare brain tumor discovered
Crystal Structure of Wnt8
© Kevinmjude/Wikipedia
Choroid plexus tumors mainly affect toddlers under one year of age. Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have now been able to show that a permanently activated important signaling pathway of intracellular communication is responsible for the development of these rare brain tumors.
Stronger together: miniature robots in convoy for endoscopic surgery
© dkfz.de
Miniature robots on the millimeter scale often lack the strength to transport instruments for endoscopic microsurgery through the body. Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) are now combining several millimeter-sized TrainBots into one unit and equipping them with improved "feet". For the first time, the DKFZ team was able to perform an electric surgical procedure on a bile duct obstruction experimentally with a robotic convoy.
How do rare genetic variants affect health? AI provides more accurate predictions
© dkfz.de
Whether we are predisposed to particular diseases depends to a large extent on the countless variants in our genome. However, particularly in the case of genetic variants that only rarely occur in the population, the influence on the presentation of certain pathological traits has so far been difficult to determine. Researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the Technical University of Munich have introduced an algorithm based on deep learning that can predict the effects of rare genetic variants. The method allows persons with high risk of disease to be distinguished more precisely and facilitates the identification of genes that are involved in the development of diseases.
Helmholtz High Impact Award 2024 presented
Ferdi Schüth, Juryvorsitzender, Direktor am Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenf...
© Helmholtz/Phil Dera
The Helmholtz Association and the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft have awarded the biochemist Oliver Bruns (NCT/UCC Dresden and DKFZ) and the chemist Ellen Sletten (UCLA) with the Helmholtz High Impact Award 2024. Both are honored for their research on a new medical imaging technology in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) range, which has the potential to significantly improve the surgical removal of tumors. The scientific prize, endowed with €50,000, recognizes interdisciplinary research that addresses major challenges in science, industry, or society.
