Research Group Translational Functional Cancer Genomics
Prof. Dr. Hanno Glimm / Dr. Sebastian Dieter
Our aim is to understand the implications of inter- and intratumoral heterogeneity and to identify novel strategies for personalized treatment approaches.
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Profound patient specific differences in cancer-causing aberrations as well as functional heterogeneity within individual tumors
pose major challenges for the development of mechanism-based strategies in clinical cancer care. To understand the
implications of inter- and intratumoral heterogeneity for personalized treatment approaches scientists and physicians from the
Translational Functional Cancer Genomics group study the genomic and functional properties of tumor-cell subpopulations.
They use their insights gained from multi-dimensional analysis of individual tumor samples and functional testing of patientderived
tumor models to identify and approve novel treatment strategies.
Specific cultures are generated from individual tumor samples of patients that receive comprehensive molecular profiling in the
MASTER (Molecularly Aided Stratification for Tumor Eradication) program, to functionally characterize their properties. Using our
strong background and expertise in the field of stem cell and molecular cancer biology, we investigate the clonality,
heterogeneity and functional characteristics of patient specific primary tumors and their respective model systems, also
addressing subpopulation dynamics in benign and malignant stem cell fractions. As tumor-initiating cells very often hijack
regulatory mechanisms, which are strictly controlled in benign stem cell systems, we specifically implement high-throughput
screening approaches together with state-of-the-art single cell analyses and mouse genetics to delineate critical and
deregulated factors leading to tumor initiation, metastasis formation and therapy resistance. Identified mechanistic insights are
translated into clinical treatment strategies whenever possible.
The group of Translational Functional Cancer Genomics in Heidelberg joins forces with researchers of the
Department of Translational Medical Oncology in Dresden to combine complementary strengths of both NCT partner sides in shared
translational research programs.
