EMUNO Therapeutics: the innate immune system as a new approach to cancer treatment - 29/07/2026

Activation of macrophages: a key factor in the fight against colorectal cancer

The mobilisation of the body’s own immune system through immune checkpoint inhibitors has revolutionised cancer therapy. However, the majority of solid tumours are able to evade immune surveillance. These so-called 'cold' tumours contain too few immune cells to respond effectively to current immunotherapies. This is where the Freiburg-based biotech start-up EMUNO Therapeutics GmbH comes in.

Why do cancers develop differently in different people—even when they are exposed to the same risk factors? An international research group, including the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), has now demonstrated in mice that an organism’s genetic makeup significantly influences the course of cancer development.

A team of researchers from the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies and the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research have developed a model that learns how to generate proteins whose structures are highly flexible, even with patterns that are uncommon in natural proteins. Their work, marks a step towards the goal of designing new proteins for applications in biotechnology, therapeutics and environmental research.

BioM Biotech Cluster Development GmbH, bioRN Life Science Cluster and ESMT Berlin announced the establishment of a Unified Hub for Healthcare Innovation. Through this alliance, the two biotech cluster organizations and DEEP – Institute for Deep Tech Innovation at ESMT will collaborate strategically to reinforce Germany’s position as a leading hub for translating scientific breakthroughs into impactful healthcare solutions.

Most everyday moments are quickly forgotten, while others stay with us for a lifetime. How the brain determines which memories are retained and which are lost remains an open question. A neuroscience team at the University of Tübingen, has found that spontaneous fluctuations in the brain’s internal state influence how ready the memory system is to store new information.

The University of Freiburg took part in this year’s Käpsele Innovation Festival with contributions from the fields of research and entrepreneurship promotion. The event focused on future-oriented topics such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity and resilience, as well as on fostering dialogue and networking amongst stakeholders from the worlds of academia, business and politics.

Researchers from Heidelberg University’s Faculty of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have uncovered key mechanisms underlying the proliferation of the malaria parasite Plasmodium. The molecular processes that govern the formation of infectious daughter parasites and new nuclei are essential for parasite survival and may therefore represent targets for future antimalarial therapies.

Researchers use synthetic biology approaches to test hundreds of DNA sequences for their effect on regulating gene expression. The human genome contains over 20,000 genes. However, at any given time and in a given cell, only a fraction of them are active. Researchers from EMBL Heidelberg’s Krebs Group have come up with an innovative experimental approach to understand how cells determine which genes to turn on and when.

On July 24, 2026, the Medical Center – University of Freiburg, the University of Freiburg, and the medical technology company Siemens Healthineers opened their joint Technology Innovation Lab, for short. In the lab at the Department of Radiation Oncology, experts in medicine, medical physics, radiation biology, and data science are working together with engineers to develop and test new technologies for radiation therapy to treat cancer.

The international research project MitoContact is dedicated to investigating how organelles within a cell communicate and interact with other cellular components. Kai Johnsson, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, has received funding from the ERC for this project. The findings are expected to provide new insights into fundamental cellular processes and contribute to a better understanding of various diseases.

The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg and the Mannheim Cancer Center (MCC) are receiving joint funding as a Center of Excellence in Oncology for the first time. German Cancer Aid is providing 4.8 million euros over four years for the new consortium.

Over the next five years, Dr. Mykhailo Batiuk and his research group at the Heidelberg Faculty of Medicine at Heidelberg University will investigate the biological mechanisms underlying post-traumatic stress disorder. The European Research Council (ERC) is supporting the project with an ERC Starting Grant worth approximately €1.4 million.