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Univ.-Prof. Dr. Stephanie E. Combs

Munich

Klinikum rechts der Isar

Klinik und Poliklinik für Radio-Onkologie und Strahlentherapie

Ismaninger Str. 22

81675 München

stephanie.combs@tum.de

Programs

Radiation Oncology and Imaging (ROI)

Molecularly Targeted Therapy (MTT)

Summary

Key research foci include the development of biomarkers for radiation response, prediction of normal tissue toxicity, as well as for the implementation of personalized radiation concepts. These treatment approaches include high-precision radiotherapy, novel dose and fractionation concepts, as well as the inclusion of innovative bio-imaging.

To date, the risk-benefit-ratio of modern treatments is excellent for most indications. However, indications such as pancreatic cancer of glioblastoma still remain the most devastating tumors with dismal prognosis, in spite of ongoing research activities in all fields. Here, we observe patient with long-term survival, as well as patients who literally progress during or shortly after treatment.

We aim at understanding the molecular properties underlying theses response patterns and use all information gained to personalize oncological treatment concepts.

In addition, development of novel radiation modalities is likely to help overcome radiation resistance. Therefore, we foster deep understanding of radiation effects of particle therapy, micro- and minibeam treatments, and promote all developments in this regard towards clinical implementation.

 

Members of the group are medical physicists, IT-specialists, radiation biologists as well as molecular biologist and clinician scientists. We strongly promote interdisciplinary collaboration with all neighboring disciplines. The group is well embedded into the structures of DKTK, national and international radiation oncology groups (ESTRO, ASTRO), as well as into research collaborations such as the Sonderforschungsbereich 1321 “Pancreatic Cancer” and the DFG Forschergruppe GRK 2274 “Advanced Medical Physics”.

 

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DKTK Junior Group Leader for Cancer Systems Biology

Single-cell approaches have not only revealed a wide variety of cell states, characterized by cells exhibiting striking differences in their transcriptional profile, but have also illuminated the mechanisms underlying state transitions in health and disease. Cellular plasticity and adaptive state changes have recently emerged as a basis for therapeutic resistance in cancer, and a better understanding of how cell state transitions are regulated is critical to develop therapeutic approaches that can overcome therapy resistance. 

Our research focuses on understanding the mechanisms driving non-genetic cellular heterogeneity and therapy resistance in malignancy. Using novel single-cell sequencing approaches, we seek to develop new experimental and computational strategies to define altered cell states in both, cancer and immune cells. Our aim is to leverage a data driven strategy combined with single cell genomics and systems biology to address the challenges posed by heterogeneity in cancer, and to develop new strategies to overcome it, with the aim of translating laboratory-based findings into the clinic.