Research Focus
Oncology
Focus
- Official research focus of the Medical Faculty since 2020.
- Through the Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Bonn is integrated into the CIO ABCD network Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Düsseldorf as an official top center of the German Cancer Aid.
- The topic of immuno-oncology is a central focus within the research focus on oncology.
Speaker
Prof. Dr. Michael Hölzel
Institute for Experimental Oncology
At a Glance
The treatment of oncological patients is of great importance at our university hospital. Through the Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Bonn is integrated into the CIO ABCD22 Association Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Düsseldorf as an official top center of the German Cancer Aid. A very close cooperation with the Johanniter-Hospital through the CIO Bonn has further expanded the oncological focus. Scientifically, the Medical Faculty is committed to the vision that innovative approaches from experimental cancer research should be brought into clinical application in order to ultimately improve the holistic treatment of cancer patients. To achieve this ambitious goal, preclinical and translational oncology research has been strategically developed over the past years.
With the successful acquisition of one of the renowned Mildred-Scheel-Junior Research Centers44 funded by the German Cancer Aid55, a prominent collaborative oncology project is now anchored at the site. Based on this success, the Faculty of Medicine has endorsed oncology as a new official research focus in 2020. The complexity of tumor tissue, consisting of a large number of different malignant and non-malignant cell types, means that oncological research at our site is already closely networked with other research priorities, in particular immunology, which is largely represented by the DFG-funded Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation2666. The topic of immuno-oncology is therefore a central focus within the research focus on oncology and bridges to the excellent expertise in the field of immunology. In the coming years, the work on the oncology's further strategic networking will be intensified. During this process new methods in the field of tumor organoid culture will be given a key role.
Current Events
Seminars, events and news of the research focus Oncology can be found on the website of the CIO Bonn.
Highlights
Collaborative Research Centres/Transregios (participating)
- SFB 1399 „Mechanisms of Drug Sensitivity
and Resistance in Small Cell Lung Cancer“
TP C04 „MModulating immune pathways in SCLC cells“, Prof. Michael Hölzel
TP B06* „The relevance of helicase activity for genome stability changes within small cell lung cancer“, Prof. Dr. Katrin Paeschke
TP B08* „Metabolic characterization of innate lymphoid cells in small cell lung cancer“, Dr. Laura Surace
BMBF Collaborative Projects with Speaker Function
- CompLS " InterpretTME - Data-driven, multiscale modeling of the tumor microenvironment through interpretable machine learning"
Coordination: Prof. Kevin Thurley
BMBF Collaborative Projects with Participation
- WPSZ ACCESS "The West German Pediatric Study Center (WPSZ): Comprehensive, patient-centered strategies for cancer treatment at the cutting edge of science - University of Bonn"
Sub-project: Prof. Dr. Dagmar Dilloo
EU Research Projects with Speaker Function
- TENACITY "TargEting the Nectin fAmily to boost Cancer ImmuniTY"
Coordination: Prof. Tobias Bald, Prof. Michael Hölzel
NRW-Research Funding Projects with Participation
- CANTAR "Strategic concept for the development of the Network
CANcer TARgeting"
Coordination: Henning Walczak, Universität zu Köln
German cancer aid
- CIO ABCD "Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Köln Düsseldorf"
- DECADE "Decentralized artificial intelligence for diagnosis, prognosis and therapy prediction in colorectal cancer"
Coordination: Prof. Jakob Kather, Dresden - Mildred Scheel School of Oncology
- THUNDER "Nanobodies against cancer"
Coordination: Prof. Dr. Katja Weisel, Hamburg
Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss
- DNPM "German Network for Personalized Medicine"
Coordination: Prof. Nisar Malek; Bonn: UKB - AELKI "Development and evaluation of a risk-adapted, multidisciplinary, guideline-based transition and (long-term) aftercare for children and adolescents with cancer"
Coordination: Prof. Thorsten Langer, Uni Lübeck, Uniklinik Schleswig-Holstein; Bonn: UKB
- Emmy Noether-Nachwuchsgruppe (DFG):
Katrin Jeanette Czogalla-Nitsche (2018) "Vitamin K - more than just coagulation" - Max Eder-Nachwuchsgruppe (German cancer aid):
Laura Surace (2023) - Leopoldina members:
Jörg Kalff
Organization & Support of Young Talent
Organization Structure
As the Centre for Integrated Oncology, the CIO forms the multidisciplinary cancer centre of the University Hospital Bonn. Since 2007, it has been working together with the Cancer Centre of the University Hospital Cologne as CIO Cologne Bonn. Since October 2018, the CIO Cologne Bonn has been shaping cancer medicine for 11 million people together with the university cancer centres from Aachen and Düsseldorf under the name "Centre for Integrated Oncology - CIO Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf". The CIO Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf is one of only 13 top oncology centres of the German Cancer Aid nationwide.
Education Structure
With regard to the training of excellent young scientists and future leaders, the field of oncology sees it as a particular task to promote not only the careers of young scientists, but also explicitly clinician scientists. The latter term refers to physicians who are intensively committed to research and who play an important role in translating results from basic research into clinical application or, conversely, in introducing clinical questions into basic research. In fact, the Mildred Scheel Young Investigators Center reflects precisely this integrative aspect in its design and brings the natural sciences and medicine into close dialogue and cooperation. In addition, the field of oncology, like the other research priorities, is committed to promoting equal opportunities for men and women in science.