11th Munich Cancer Retreat

"Current and future personalized cancer medicine: example neuroblastoma" was the title of the Keynote Lecture by Angelika Eggert (Spokesperson DKTK partner site Berlin and Director Department of Pediatrics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin), in which she also outlined the challenges of the discovery of the ALK gene mutation to the ALK inhibitor as first-line treatment. On the second day, Bernd Bodenmiller (ETH Zurich) presented the possibilities of highly multiplexed imaging of in-situ tumor ecosystems for precision oncology in his keynote lecture, using the examples of ovarian and skin cancer.

Lisa Fröhlich (Translational Oncology, DKFZ and LMU München, Sos lab) presented on the MIZ1ΔPOZ mutation in non-small cell lung cancer and her talk was voted "Best Talk" by the participants. For her poster presentation on PAX5 in B-cell leukemia, Rebecca Haag (Akute Leukämie, Schwabinger Kinderklinik and MRI, Auer lab) received the "Best Poster" award. Both scientists won a travel grant.

In addition to the scientific presentations within the DKTK research programs, the new Munich Medicine Alliance M1 was presented by the Dean of Research of the Medical Faculty LMU Munich Stefan Endres. Further platforms, such as the DKTK School of Oncology and the Clinical Communication Platform (CCP) as well as four Joint Funding projects were intensively discussed.

The workshop "Explore your Career Options" gave the young career scientists ideas for their future careers. The lecture on the FEM Club "Female Excellence in Medicine" emphasized the importance of diversity and the female factor that makes teams more successful. In addition, the still necessary support for female colleagues – especially in management positions – was discussed. Further discussions took place during the night hike with burning torches and the Wilko Weichert run in the morning along the lake Ammersee. 

In memory of Wilko Weichert, the 2nd Wilko Weichert Grant was awarded to the Clinician Scientist Christoph Geisenberger from the department Pathology, LMU München. In addition to a grant of EUR 30.000 for consumables and protected research time, he also received a mug from FC St. Pauli, the former spokesperson's favorite soccer team.
Further pictures of the MCR11 can be found at TeamSite Munich.