Personalized Medical Oncology

The aim of this project is the elucidation of the crosstalk between the tumor and its microenvironment (TME), which is known to affect tumor spread as well as therapy responses or resistance, with a focus on the TAM (Tyro3, Axl, MerTK) family of receptor tyrosine kinases, the bone niche and responses to immunotherapies.Findings from this research area are currently being translated into clinical trials.

This project focusses on the interaction of tumours and components of the nervous system outside the brain and their impact on cancer progression and therapy. While crosstalk between tumor and neural cells has already been characterized well in the brain, this is much less the case for tumors in the periphery, such as non-small cell lung cancer. This is a knowledge gap that we have just started to address.

Melanie Janning's group concentrates on using Liquid biopsies to characterize disease heterogeneity and to generate potential biomarkers for therapy response, also with a focus on lung cancer. We have already established a pipeline for the isolation and characterization of large numbers of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from patient blood and used it to describe lung cancer heterogeneity. In addition, we are establishing a pipeline for extracellular vesicles (ECVs).

 Liquid Biopsy and Single-Cell Analysis Group, PI Melanie Janning

This project concentrates on the characterization of rare mutations that may occur in lung cancer, with a focus on EGFR and FGFRs. We have designed a nationwide preclinical platform to support clinical decision-making by providing meaningful in vitro data regarding the functional consequences of rare mutations within the context of the German national Network for Genomic Medicine (nNGM). We also successfully developed an IIT specifically for patients with atypical EGFR mutations which is about to start.

In our Cancer Survivorship Research project, we are dedicated to to characterizing the clinical and molecular features of patients surviving their cancer diagnosis for >5 years. This patient group is also referred to as “lost patients” because after 5 years most surveillance programs usually end – although patients suffer from late side effects of the anti-cancer therapies. Our aim is to shed light on the psychosocial characteristics of this patient group and on the molecular basis of survivorship.

BGBC003 (NCT02488408): Multicenter, international Phase I/II study for the treatment of patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) or Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) using the newly developed drug Bemcentinib. It targets the receptor tyrosine kinase Axl. (Current status: Patient enrollment is complete.)

CONNECT (AIO-TF-0122)  Non-interventional, prospective national registry study and platform to capture the application and outcomes of precision oncology diagnostics through next-generation sequencing (NGS), recommendations from Molecular Tumor Boards (MTBs), and the results of molecularly guided therapy in cancer.

FLAURARE (AIO-TRK/YMO-0324): Interventional Phase II study for the treatment of patients with lung cancer and rare, so-called atypical EGFR mutations in the tumor, using the tyrosine kinase inhibitor Osimertinib in combination with chemotherapy. (Current status: Enrollment will begin in Spring 2025.)

IFEM: Interventional Phase III study comparing monotherapy with the checkpoint inhibitor Pembrolizumab to a combination of Pembrolizumab and chemotherapy as first-line therapy in women with lung cancer and high PD-L1 expression (≥50%). (Current status: In preparation, activation planned for 2025.)

Stephanie Schlichtner 
PostDoc 2023-2025

Scientist, Tenure Track, Medical University Graz, Austria

Isabel Ben Batalla 
PostDoc/ Team Leader/ Junior PI 2011-2024

Assistant professor and group leader, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Disease, 

Santiago di Compostela University

Niklas Beumer 
PhD Student 2021-2024

Postdoc, University of Mainz, Germany

Martin Ziegler 
PostDoc/ Junior Team Leader

Software Development Engineer, Vector Informatik, Stuttgart, Germany

Róísín O'Reilly 
Master Student, PhD Student 2022-2023

Scientist, Aerogen, Galway, Ireland

Jens Köhler 
Physician/ PostDoc

Head of NGS Department, MVZ Labor Dr. Limbach& Kollegen, Heidelberg, Germany

Jonas Waizenegger 
MD Student, Clinician Scientist 2013-2014, 2021-2023

Resident, II. Medical Clinic, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

Lisa Ruff 
PostDoc 2021-2023

Medical Science Liaison in Haematology/ Oncology, Jazz Pharma, Germany

Umar Khalid 
PostDoc 2021-2023

Scientist, Dana-Faber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Lorena Salgueiro Ferreno 
PostDoc 2021-2023

Associate Publisher, Springer Nature Group, Heidelberg, Germany

Lara Meier 
PhD Student 2018-2022

Scientific Advisor, Sysmex Inostics, Hamburg, Germany

Anika Forstreuter 
MD Student 2019-2021

Resident, II. Medical Clinic, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

Jochim Reinert 
Clinician Scientist 2019-2020

Resident, II. Medical Clinic, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

Franca Kobus 
MD Student 2017-2020

Resident, Neurology, University Clinic Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany

Florian Udonta 
MD Student 2016-2020

Resident, II. Medical Clinic, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

Raimund Oberle, né Bauer 
PostDoc 2015-2017

Group leader, Medical University of Vienna, Austria

Mark Wroblewski 
PhD Student, PostDoc 2012-2017

Brand Lead EGFR+HER2 Lung Cancer, Astra Zeneca, Hamburg, Germany

Jara Schlichting 
MD Student 2014-2017

Physician and Medical Coordinator, Asklepios Clinic Barmbek and Asklepios Tumor Center, Hamburg Germany

Miguel Cubas Cordova 
PhD Student 2012-2016

Medical Affairs Scientist, Pfizer, Hamburg, Germany

Alexander Schulze 
MD Student, Clinician Scientist 2011-2013

Deputy Medical Director Central Emergency Department, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, 

Hamburg, Germany

Robert Erdmann 
MD Student, Clinician Scientist 2011-2014

Physician, Asklepios MVZ Barmbek, Hamburg Germany