DKTK Scientific Community Meeting 2026: New Impetus for Translation

Prof. Melanie Börries, Deputy Spokesperson of the DKTK, opened the meeting with a clear emphasis on advancing translational structures. Referring to the MAC-Score project, supported jointly with HI-STEM gGmbH and funded through the DKTK Joint Funding Call 2025 to develop a precise, rapid, and cost-effective test for routine diagnostics, she underscored the program’s momentum: “This idea demonstrates how we can elevate translation to the next level and implement it in a targeted manner,” she stated, also highlighting the strategic alignment of the DKTK Working Groups (WGs) with the DKTK Joint Funding Program.

The WGs continue to form the foundation of the bottom-up approach. “It is the responsibility of researchers to drive translation forward by establishing a Working Group,” Börries emphasized. The WGs are explicitly open to participation by the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT).
With the transformation of the Clinical Communication Platform (CCP) into the DKTK BioDataHub, a central infrastructure for data integration and validation has been established. Researchers now have a single point of access to initiate and further develop data- and biobank-based projects across sites.
Börries also highlighted DKTK’s support of the GeneNovate Entrepreneurship Training Program, as well as the upcoming Science-meets-Industry Day on October 19 and 20, 2026. Both formats strengthen the interface between academic research and industry.  

National Cancer Prevention Center
Dr. Sigrid Carlsson presented the National Cancer Prevention Center (NCPC) and outlined its role in systematically linking research and clinical application. The new building in Heidelberg provides the necessary infrastructure. At its core, the NCPC functions as a consultative center that systematically translates research findings from the DKFZ and consortia such as the DKTK into clinical practice.

Spotlight Projects of the Pillar 2 Working Groups
Researchers involved in the WGs presented current developments and selected projects:

• Metabolic Imaging (Chairs: A. Martins, A. Schmidt) – Contributions on in vivo pH imaging in oncology and gamma endoscopy for intraoperative navigation
• Proteomics (Chairs: U. Keilholz, B. Küster) – Presentation of work on spatial phosphoproteomics as well as translational proteomics and epigenetics
• Clonal Hematopoiesis and Cancer Prevention (Chairs: M. Bornhäuser, F. Damm) – Studies on tumor-infiltrating clonal hematopoiesis and its role in solid and hematologic malignancies
• Liquid Biopsy Diagnostics (Chairs: I. Tinhofer-Keilholz, C. Winter) – Presentation of the HiLiB-MTB platform and current research on ctDNA as a biomarker for prognosis and therapy decision-making
• Metabolism, Nutrition and Cancer Prevention (Chairs: C. Opitz, K. Thedieck) – Contributions on metabolites as markers of nutrition, long-term outcomes, and tertiary prevention, as well as the BMFTR BALANCE-ET consortium
• Data Management and FAIR Principles (Chairs: W. Hadiwikarta) – Presentation of a RadPlanBio use case for FAIRification of preclinical data in radiation oncology

A particular focus was placed on the strategic advancement of the data infrastructure. Within the framework of the MASTER program, Simon Kreutzfeldt outlined the “Translational Data Triangle” as a model for broader integration of molecular, clinical, and contextual data. In addition to in-depth analysis, the emphasis lies on systematically expanding data integration. In the long term, the initiative is conceived as a data-driven service structure that supports both research and clinical application.

Joint Funding 2026
During a DKTK Joint Funding session, the DKTK Coordination Office presented the 2026 call for proposals. Following structural realignment in 2025, the program places strong emphasis on high translational feasibility. Projects involving at least two DKTK sites are eligible for funding; the deadline for submission of pre-proposals is February 17, 2026.

Two newly funded projects from the 2025 call were presented by their project coordinators: PhosDX for phosphoproteomic routine diagnostics and MAC-Score for predicting response to venetoclax-based therapies.

In his closing remarks, Prof. Stefan Pfister, designated Spokesperson of the DKTK, highlighted two developments: the sharpened shared understanding of the strategic role of Joint Funding projects and the strength of the bottom-up process within the Working Groups. “We were reminded to think from the end,” he concluded, referring to clinical application.

On November 5 and 6, 2026, the communities of Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 will convene for a joint meeting. In the future, this meeting will rotate among the different partner sites to further strengthen shared responsibility for advancing translational cancer research within the DKTK.