DKTK News and Events RSS

DKFZ Innovation Award and DKFZ Patient Expert Award Presented

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 10:19:00 +0000

The Friends of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) support the DKFZ and aim to help strengthen its position in the international arena. With the DKFZ Innovation Award, presented at this year’s annual reception, the association honors Helmut Salih, a researcher whose innovative work bridges the gap between immunological research and patient care. The DKFZ Patient Expert Award was also presented; this year’s recipient is Stephanie Houwaart for her long-standing commitment as a member of the DKFZ/DKTK Cancer Research Patient Advisory Board.

B-cell lymphoma: Cause of high-risk disease discovered

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:16:00 +0000

Researchers led by Universitätsmedizin Frankfurt and Goethe University Frankfurt, partner site Frankfurt/Mainz of the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), have identified how particularly aggressive forms of lymphoma can be recognized. By combining genetic and proteomic analyses, the scientists were able to identify biological characteristics of tumors, particularly in high-risk patients for whom standard therapy offers little chance of cure. In the future, such patients could receive alternative, more effective therapies directly. In addition, experimental laboratory research provided initial clues to potential therapeutic targets.

Vaccine Against Brain Tumors Shows Promising Long-Term Results

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:58:00 +0000

A novel vaccination strategy against certain malignant brain tumors could fundamentally improve treatment for patients. Researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Mannheim University Medical Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, and numerous partner institutions, including the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), have published encouraging long-term results from a clinical trial involving a vaccine that activates the immune system against a common genetic mutation in these tumors.

Shalini Saxena new Interim Administrative Director

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 10:48:00 +0000

As of July 1, 2026, Shalini Saxena assumed the role of Administrative Director of the DKFZ on an interim basis. She succeeds Ursula Weyrich, who is moving to ZDF (Second German Television) in Mainz.

Double ERC Success for DKFZ Researchers

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:42:00 +0000

Through its “Proof of Concept” (PoC) grants, the European Research Council (ERC) supports scientists in further developing the economic potential of their research findings. In 2026, two scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) were once again selected to receive this prestigious funding: Moritz Mall is developing a gene therapy designed to make dangerous brain tumor cells sensitive to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Chong Sun, also scientist at the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Heidelberg, is able, for the first time, to observe in real time which cellular proteins interact with drugs – and aims to advance drug discovery with this approach.

ERC Advanced Grants for Dieter Saur and Aurelio Teleman

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 11:55:00 +0000

The European Research Council (ERC) supports visionary projects in basic research through its “Advanced Grants.” This year, the Council awarded a grant to cancer researcher and physician Dieter Saur from the DKTK Munich* site, who is investigating why immunotherapies against pancreatic cancer are often ineffective today and developing ways to make them more efficacious. Aurelio Teleman, a metabolism expert at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), is tackling one of the fundamental questions of developmental biology with his ERC project: How do animals control their growth and size?

AI Diagnoses Brain Tumors in Minutes Instead of Weeks

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:31:00 +0000

Experts in Heidelberg have developed an AI system that can classify brain tumors with unprecedented accuracy using standard microscopic tissue sections. Using digitized standard stains, the system identifies more than 100 molecular subtypes of central nervous system tumors, delivers results within minutes, and could accelerate the diagnosis of brain tumors worldwide.

Translational research on Diabetes, Cancer, Neurodegenerative Diseases and Child and Adolescent Health – The 8th Joint Dresden DZG Symposium Goes from Strength to Strength

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 11:31:00 +0000

The German Centers for Health Research (DZG) are a group of eight research centers with institutes spread across Germany that are tasked by the German government to combat common diseases. Their shared goal is to transfer scientific research more quickly into medical practice. There are four DZG institutes in Dresden: the Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden (PLID) of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), and the German Center for Child and Adolescent Health (DZKJ). On May 11th, 2026, the 8th Joint DZG Symposium took place, giving participants the opportunity to learn about the health research happening in Dresden and to foster collaborations between the local institutes of the DZG

13th Munich Cancer Retreat

Fri, 29 May 2026 11:44:00 +0000

The 13th Munich Cancer Retreat (MCR13), held on May 19-20, 2026 at the Evangelische Akademie Tutzing, once again brought together scientists, clinicians, physician scientists, and early career researchers from the DKTK partner site Munich for two days of scientific exchange and interdisciplinary networking.

Leukemia stem cells cause treatments to fail - Findings open new avenues to overcome resistance

Wed, 13 May 2026 11:52:00 +0000

Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the HI-STEM Stem Cell Institute and the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) have deciphered a key mechanism that contributes to treatment failure in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). They show that there are not just one, but four different subtypes of leukemia stem cells. This diversity could explain why one of the most important AML drugs does not work sufficiently in some patients or loses its effectiveness over time - resulting in the return of leukemia. This discovery lays an important foundation for more precise and long-term successful treatment strategies that could specifically overcome resistance mechanisms.

DKTK Berlin Symposium 2026: Exchange and new Impulses

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:09:00 +0000

The Berlin DKTK Community Meeting took place on February 27, 2026 at the Rahel Hirsch Center for translational medicine in Berlin-Mitte. Approximately 120 scientists and doctors came together to discuss the newest developments and ongoing science projects in translational research at the site.

Chaos in the lymph node promotes cancer

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:09:00 +0000

In aggressive lymphomas, inflammatory messengers reprogram the “conductors” of the immune system, causing lymph nodes structure to collapse. A team led by Simon Haas, scientist at the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Berlin, describes in “Nature Cancer” this process for the first time using single-cell and spatial analyses.

Stefan Pfister honored with Thomas and Doris Ammann Prize

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:44:00 +0000

The University Children's Hospital Zurich and the Thomas and Doris Ammann Foundation have awarded the Thomas and Doris Ammann Prize to Stefan Pfister, Director of the Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Head of Department at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), professor at the Heidelberg Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University, pediatric oncologist at the Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine at Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) and designated Spokesperson of the Cerman Cancer Consortium (DKTK) with the Thomas and Doris Ammann Prize. They are honoring him for his pioneering contributions to the research and development of new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for pediatric brain tumors. The prize, worth 200,000 Swiss francs, will be presented to Stefan Pfister on March 12, 2026, at the University Children's Hospital Zurich.

2026 State Research Award for a Cancer Researcher from Freiburg

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 14:28:00 +0000

Award for Prof. Dr. Robert Zeiser / Research on stem cell transplantation and immunotherapy improves treatment for cancer patients / The prize is endowed with 100,000 euros

DKFZ/NCT/DKTK HARPOON 2025

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 14:31:00 +0000

HARPOON is organized by the DKFZ/NCT/DKTK MASTER-team of the NCT Heidelberg and is intended to provide a platform for exchange and networking and to foster interaction between the One NCT, the DKTK, and other networks. We expect highlight talks on pioneering precision oncology activities, including recent developments in multiomics data analysis (e.g., by artificial intelligence) as well as forward and reverse translation, underlining the central role of multidimensional tumor characterization as fuel for innovative clinical trials and scientific discovery.

Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) funds joint project to improve patients’ quality of life following radiation treatment

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 14:21:00 +0000

What happens in the brain after radiotherapy? Why do many brain tumor patients still struggle with undesirable consequences of therapy, even years after recovery? Are there ways to prevent these and any similarly taxing, long-term consequences? An interdisciplinary consortium led by Prof. Mechthild Krause, Spokesperson at the DKTK partner site Dresden, Professor of Translational Medical Oncology at TU Dresden’s Faculty of Medicine Director of the Clinic and Polyclinic for Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology at the Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, is delving into these complex questions with the "UncovRT" research project.

New blood marker opens up new perspectives for cancer diagnostics

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:51:00 +0000

Metastatic prostate cancer is currently associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. In addition, patients respond very differently to standard treatments such as hormone therapy or radiation therapy. Reliable markers that can be used to predict aggressive tumor progression and treatment success at an early stage are still largely lacking. A research team led by Prof. Anna Dubrovska and Dr. Ielizaveta Gorodetska from OncoRay – National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology has now identified a biomarker that can be measured in the blood.

DKTK Scientific Community Meeting 2026: New Impetus for Translation

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:49:00 +0000

On January 27, 2026, researchers from all eight DKTK partner sites convened at the BDC Meeting Space in Heidelberg for the Scientific Community Meeting within DKTK Pillar 2 “Diagnostic Innovations & Molecular Prevention.” The focus was on strategic direction-setting, new Joint Funding projects, and data-driven approaches to prevention and diagnostics based on artificial intelligence.

DZG Innovation Fund: Submit now your Expression of Interest for the Call 2027/28

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 10:27:00 +0000

The DZG Innovation Fund (DZGIF) is a joint research funding program of the German Centers for Health Research (DZG). Each call for proposals has a specific research topic. To be eligible for funding, the project must involve scientists from at least three DZG centers. The aim of the DZGIF is to strengthen networking among its members, facilitate joint research, and thereby create interdisciplinary synergies between the DZG. With the establishment of the DZGIF, the centers are pooling their expertise to facilitate and finance promising, cross-disease research ideas. In this way, the DZG aims to promote translation and advance knowledge on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of common diseases.

ERC Proof of Concept Grant awarded to researcher PD Dr. Jennifer Altomonte on virus-based cancer therapy

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 12:11:00 +0000

Turning research results into innovations: that is the stated goal of the European Research Council’s (ERC) Proof of Concept Grants. With CHECKVIR, a project that builds on ERC-funded research is being supported with around €150,000. In this project, researcher PD Dr. Jennifer Altomonte will develop a new virus-based cancer therapy.