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Starting grants awarded to GRK2727 students:
Dominik Kato and Valerie Griesche. Congratulations to successful applications.
Überlebensstrategien
On July 15, 2024, a conversation between Adelheid Cerwenka and Lucas Schirmer with Wolfgang Heim about the questions and long-term goals of our GRK was published in the series "Überlebensstrategien".
“Überlebensstrategien” is a joint project between the University of Heidelberg and Rhein-Neckar Fernsehen (RNF), in which life sciences collaborative research centres and groups at Heidelberg University present their research to a broad audience.
GRK2727 Stockholm Workshop 24.–27. June 2024
Highlights of the recent GRK2727 retreat hosted by our collaborators from Karolinska Institute in sunny Stockholm: great hosts, invited speakers from around the globe, lots of science.
Circulating tumor cells provide detailed insights into cancer heterogeneity
An improved method for isolating circulating tumour cells paves the way for tailor-made therapies in personalized oncology: In a recent study, scientists from the DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim show that it is possible to obtain sufficient circulating tumour cells using an enrichment technique of blood cells (diagnostic leukapheresis) to be able to comprehensively analyse the tumour and its heterogeneity.
Link to Article
Press release at the Medical Faculty Mannheim (German language)
AI can accelerate the development of cellular immunotherapies
Until now, identifying suitable T cells for cellular immunotherapy has been a laborious and time-consuming process. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the University Medical Center Mannheim (UMM) want to simplify and speed up the process.
Press release at the Medical Faculty Mannheim (German language)
ERC Advenced Grant für Prof. Dr. Michael Platten
The European Research Council (ERC) promotes basic research in order to advance particularly forward-looking projects. As part of his ERC project “Characterizing and Harnessing Tumor-reactive T Cells in the Brain” (CENTRIC-BRAIN), Michael Platten and his team will work on the development and optimization of personalized cellular immunotherapies controlled by artificial intelligence for malignant brain tumors (News Mannheim Medical Faculty, press release from Heidelberg University).
Newly discovered mechanism of T cell control may interfere with cancer immunotherapies
Joint publication of GRK2727-PIs (Prof. Dr. Adelheid Cerwenka, Prof. Dr. Matthias Ebert, Prof. Dr. Michael Platten) and GRK2727-PhD (David Vonhören)
If activated T cells carry a certain marker protein on their surface, they are kept in check by natural killer (NK) cells, another cell type of the immune system. In this way, the body presumably prevents destructive immune reactions from “overshooting”. Researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the University Medical Center Mannheim (UMM) discovered this and showed that NK cells can also impair the effect of cancer therapies with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in this way and be responsible for the rapid decline of therapeutic CAR-T cells in cellular immunotherapies. By interfering with this newly discovered mechanism, it may be possible to improve the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapies.
Link to Article
Press release at the Medical Faculty Mannheim (German language)
GRK2727 Vienna workshop 10th-12th July 2023
On 10th-12th July 2023, the Vienna workshop of GRK2727 took place at Hotel Strudlhof, Vienna, Austria. During three days, invited international speakers and collaborators from Vienna presented highlights from their research. Moreover, GRK2727 students and students from collaborating Vienna laboratories presented their projects followed by lively discussions. A joint visit to the old town of Vienna followed by a social event at a traditional Vienna “Heurigen” further facilitated networking among international collaboration partners, PIs and students. The Vienna workshop was very well received by all participants and initiated further scientific exchange and collaborations.
Kick-Off Retreat GRK2727
On 4th and 5th July 2022, the Kick-Off Retreat of GRK2727 took place at Schlosshotel Molkenkur, Heidelberg. During two days, collaborators from Stockholm/Vienna and Principle Investigators (PIs) from Mannheim/ Heidelberg presented exciting highlights from their research. Moreover, GRK2727 students showcased their projects in poster sessions. A joint visit to the Heidelberg Castle and social events further facilitated networking among international collaboration partners, PIs and students. Our kick-off retreat was very well received by all participants and initiated further exchange and collaborations.
New Research Training Group in the Field of Immunology
DFG funds Graduate School/GRK 2727 "Innate Immune Checkpoints in Cancer and Tissue damage" with 5.3 million euros
Dateien
210510_pm-emw_Graduiertenkolleg-2727-InCheck.pdf
Links
Pressemitteilung der DFG
Kontextspalte
GRK 2727/1 – InCheck
„Innate Immune Checkpoints in Cancer and Tissue Damage"
TPMA2, 2. OG
Franz-Volhard-Str. 6
68167 Mannheim
Phone +49 621 383-71509
Fax +49 621 383-71506
grk2727@medma.uni-heidelberg.de
Twitter GRK 2727: @grk2727