Projets financés

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is estimated to become the second cause of cancer-related deaths in the EU by 2040. Unlike other tumors, PDAC has shown no measurable improvement in 10-year survival in the last five decades, and the median survival after diagnosis is 8-10 months. While 90% of

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a blood cancer that has remained incurable for the majority. The big challenge and unmet need in AML is the high incidence of relapse after reaching complete remission. There is clear evidence that the metabolism in AML is frequently altered, and also further adapts w

Glioblastoma (GB, former GBM) is the most common aggressive brain tumor. Despite multimodal therapy including surgical resection and radio- and chemotherapy, prognosis for patients is poor (median survival times of < 15 months) and recurrence is common, clearly indicating the unmet medical need for

Malignant cells are supported by their interaction with the tumor microenvironment (TME). This is orchestrated by the host cells and by soluble mediators, including the components of the complement system. Complement is a key player in immune defense against pathogens and in the maintenance of cell

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an under-researched, high burden eating disorder that severely impacts on lifelong health and quality of life. The only validated therapeutic approach is extremely resource intensive re-nutrition combined with intense psychotherapy. Even with sufficient therapy, response rat

Childhood-onset epilepsy (COE) poses significant challenges including therapy resistance and co-morbid cognitive and behavioural issues. Mutations in KCNQ2 and KCNQ3, encoding Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 voltage gated potassium channel subunits, are common in COE. Variants in these genes manifest diverse epilep

The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is a receptor of glutamate, the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the human brain. NMDA subunits are encoded by GRIN genes. GRIN-related neurodevelopmental disorders (GRIN-NDD) encompass a spectrum of disorders, featuring intellectual disability, behavi

Influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (IAPA) occurs as a complication in up to 20% of critically ill influenza patients and is associated with a mortality rate of 50%, which is twice as high as in influenza-only patients. Diagnosing IAPA is difficult, resulting in delayed initiation of antifu

Sjogren disease (SjD) is a chronic, systemic B-cell-driven autoimmune disease with an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) development. The abnormal B cell activation resulting from the interplay of T cell-dependent and independent responses is a hallmark of SjD linked with disease severity

Breast Cancer (BC) is a major public health concern, with 355.547 new cases and 91.826 deaths in Europe in 2020. Triple-negative BC (TNBC) have long been challenging to treat. Recently, pembrolizumab (anti-PD1), associated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by anti-PD1 monotherapy, has become th

Hypoxia in tumors and their microenvironments significantly contributes to resistance against photon- based radiotherapy in many solid cancers. In this context, heavy ion RT, especially carbon ion RT (CIRT), is becoming increasingly a pivotal approach due to its superior efficacy in targeting hypo

Mature T-cell leukemias/lymphomas (MaTCL) represent a heterogenous group of tumors with predominantly dismal prognoses due to limited efficacy of available treatments. Single MaTCL subtypes are rare, impeding large-volume biomaterial and data collection, and clinical studies. Therapies aimed solely

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) together pose a significant health, social, and economic challenge in the 21st century. Patients with CKD and T2D experience accelerated vascular aging and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This premature vascular aging, caused