Scheffler Group

Translational Oncology (Neurooncology)

Prof. Dr. Björn Scheffler

Adherent monolayers of glioblastoma cells (left) derive from clinical neurosurgery samples (top, center). Cells expand in vitro under controlled conditions for use in assay systems, e.g. orthotopic transplantation (bottom, center). Expanding cells maintain stem-like features, e.g. they can generate large numbers of neuronal phenotypes upon induction (right). Note, immunofluorescence (left, right) captured with antibodies against neuron-typic betaIIItubulin (green), astrocyte-typic GFAP (red), and blue nucleus staining (DAPI). Figure (bottom, center) adapted from Reinartz et al., Clin Cancer Res; doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-15-2089. © adapted from Reinartz et al., Clin Cancer Res; doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-15-2089)

Based on classic stem cell technologies1, we extract and scrutinize patient tumor cells ex vivo and in orthotopic tumor models for swift and effective biomarker/ target discovery and for drug development towards application in early clinical trials2,3. Our research activities focus on oncogenic mechanisms related to brain tumors and metastasized CNS disease; however, our translational approach enables validation of discoveries in any type of cancer4.

We are committed to patient care and we traditionally keep strong clinical ties for straight forward bench-to-bedside translation together with local key interaction partners, particularly with Prof. Dr. Martin Glas, Head of the Division of Clinical Neurooncology at the Department of Neurology and with Prof. Dr. Ulrich Sure, Director of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital Essen. We are active participants in the DKTK program ‘Exploitation of Oncogenic Mechanisms’.

More information can be accessed on this webpage.