The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) is funding a new Emmy Noether junior research group at the DKFZ for six years with a total of around 2 million euros. The scientists and doctors, who are part of the Clinical Cooperation Unit for Pediatric Leukemia at the KiTZ, are using a new procedure to investigate how cancer cells manipulate the formation of proteins to become resistant to cancer drugs.

The progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) can usually be slowed down with medication, but a cure is currently not possible. It is now established that Epstein-Barr viruses are involved in the development of MS. However, it is not known how the pathogens trigger the disease. The European Union is now funding the international research consortium BEHIND-MS as part of its HORIZON Europe program.

How can artificial intelligence support medical imaging diagnostics in the future and significantly improve patient care? Researchers led by Lena Maier-Hein (German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ, and NCT Heidelberg) have developed an innovative concept to address this question. The Carl Zeiss-Stiftung is funding the MEDAL* project with a total of three million euros.

Heidelberg University scientists are to receive three ERC Synergy Grants – three highly endowed grants of the European Research Council – for pioneering research projects by several teams working in collaboration.

The European Research Council (ERC) supports visionary projects in basic research through its “Advanced Grants.” This year, the Council awarded a grant to cancer researcher and physician Dieter Saur from the DKTK Munich* site, and Aurelio Teleman, a metabolism expert at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ).

Through its “Proof of Concept” (PoC) grants, the European Research Council (ERC) supports scientists in further developing the economic potential of their research findings. In 2026, two scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) were once again selected to receive this prestigious funding: Moritz Mall and Chong Sun.

Research into quantum technology by four teams at Ulm University is being funded as part of the European QuantERA programme. This is more than at any other German university. The projects focus, for example, on more robust quantum computers and innovative medical diagnostic methods.

The German Chemical Industry Fund (FCI) is supporting the course offering ‘DigiChemJN’ at the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy. DigiChemJN strengthens students’ data literacy by providing them qualifications in data-based research methods, experimental datasets, and artificial intelligence (AI).

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.

Dossier - 18/04/2016

Epigenetics – heritable traits without changing the DNA sequence

Epigenetics, i.e. the inheritance of traits that does not involve a change in the DNA sequence, was once a controversial subject that has since become a central focus of biological research. Epigenetic inheritance is now studied by numerous national and international research programmes. Many cellular regulatory and differentiation processes are controlled by epigenetic mechanisms that take place on different levels.

In the 2022 allocation round for the award of the prestigious Consolidator Grants of the European Research Council, researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have been successful. For their projects in the fields of photovoltaics and medical sensor technology, physicist Ulrich W. Paetzold and chemist Frank Biedermann will receive approximately two million euros over the next five years.

On 25 November, the German Research Foundation (DFG) announced the continued funding of two existing Collaborative Research Centres (CRC) at the University of Freiburg’s Faculty of Medicine. In CRC 1453 Nephrogenetics (NephGen), doctors and researchers are using genetic information to search for mechanisms underlying kidney diseases.

Intelligent Diagnostics - 09/02/2022

AI for added value in digital melanoma diagnostics

Intelligent Diagnostics is an interdisciplinary project that brings together the latest technologies and research institutes to better support doctors in diagnosing skin cancer through innovative imaging and artificial intelligence.

The German Research Foundation (DFG) has announced the first pivotal decisions for the "Clusters of Excellence" funding line as part of the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments. The University of Stuttgart has been given the green light for two new cluster initiatives.

Making existing cancer therapy more efficient while significantly reducing the side effects on healthy tissue - this is the aim of a project at Aalen University. It is being funded with one million euros from the Carl Zeiss Foundation. The biophysicist and his team are developing innovative nanoparticles made of gold. The particles use radiotherapy and chemotherapy simultaneously and kill the cancer cells in a targeted manner.

Hier werden die abgeschlossenen Projekte gesammelt.

At a time of geopolitical tensions and growing supply shortages, surgical capability is becoming a critical factor for resilient health systems. Hellstern medical GmbH has been accepted into the NATO DIANA innovation program with its key technology, the Robotic Surgeon Assist noac — NATO’s accelerator for defense and dual-use technologies.

Heidelberg Epignostix GmbH, a deeptech start-up committed to precision cancer diagnostics today announces €4.3M in seed funding. This investment will enable Heidelberg Epignostix to make a substantial leap forward in driving market development for its flagship indication for brain tumor classification.