Cancer

Johannes Huppa has taken up the professorship for tumor immunology at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin as of September 1. The T-cell receptor expert will also conduct research at the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin-Buch and the German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK).

Berlin researchers and their partners describe how aggressive variants of multiple myeloma can be detected early. Their comprehensive study in “Nature Cancer” shows how changes in genetic material affect the protein profile of the tumor cells, and thus the mechanisms involved in the disease.

The International Ph.D. Student Cancer Conference kicks off on June 12th at the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin-Buch. Doctoral students in the cancer field will get the chance to network and exchange ideas in an informal setting.

Captain T Cell, a spin-off from the Max Delbrück Center, raised €8.5 million in startup funding. The startup focuses on developing T cells to target solid tumors. The funds are intended to move a new generation of T cell therapies towards the clinic.

The German Research Foundation (DFG) will fund single-cell scientist Simon Haas in its Heisenberg program. Therefore, the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH) is establishing a Heisenberg professorship in systems hematology. After five years, the BIH will make the professorship permanent.

A new computer program allows scientists to design synthetic DNA segments that indicate, in real time, the state of cells. Reported by the Gargiulo lab in “Nature Communications”, it will be used to screen for anti-cancer or viral infections drugs, or to improve gene and cell-based immunotherapies.

Cell-based immunotherapies, particularly lab-produced immune cells known as CAR T cells, show promise in treating various cancers. But how do we produce effective ones? Gaetano Gargiulo from the Max Delbrück Center will develop a novel screening tool, supported by an ERC Proof of Concept Grant.

A tumor often arises when cancer genes multiply. In this process, additional genes act as hitchhikers, potentially creating previously unknown vulnerabilities that open the door to new therapeutic approaches. This finding is reported by a team led by ECRC-scientists Anton Henssen and Jan Dörr in "Cancer Discovery."

For his work on aggressive glioblastomas, Dr. Gaetano Gargiulo of the Max Delbrück Center received a 10,000 euro prize from the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Donated by the Monika Kutzner Stiftung, the prize honors outstanding achievements in cancer research.

From 2024, the Federal Government and the State of Berlin will fund the establishment of the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Berlin. The new site is a cooperation between DKFZ and Charité, BIH, and Max Delbrück Center aimed at closely integrating clinical and translational cancer research.