While the cell nucleus contains almost all of the genome, the mitochondria – the powerhouses of the cell – have their own small genetic code. It consists of only 37 genes, which are organized in circular DNA – mtDNA, for short. Defects in the mitochondrial genome are related to incurable neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases, cancer and also aging processes.

With funding from the German Research Foundation’s (DFG) Heisenberg Program, DKFZ researcher Aurélie Ernst aims to investigate how massive changes in the genome contribute to the development of cancer. Her research focuses on a phenomenon known as chromothripsis - a catastrophic event in the genome in which chromosomes break apart and are reassembled incorrectly.

Three researchers at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have each been awarded a Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) this year. Daniel Kirschenbaum, Lena Kutscher, and Michael Scherer impressed the ERC with their innovative research approaches to fundamental questions in cancer medicine.

Cells of the highly aggressive brain tumor glioblastoma exhibit predatory behavior: they exploit signaling between healthy neurons and internalize portions of their contact sites. Dr. Dr. Varun Venkataramani of the Heidelberg Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University, and his research team, will investigate how glioblastoma cells benefit from this process and whether it may represent a novel therapeutic target.

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.

Revier Therapeutics, today announced the closing of a EUR 6 million seed financing and the launch of its operations. The Company has established the first therapeutic approach to selectively target class IIa histone deacetylases (HDACs) for the treatment of cardiometabolic diseases.

How can a respiratory virus be stopped before it spreads throughout the body? In the MucoShield project, Prime Vector Technologies, the NMI Tübingen, and Fraunhofer IGB are developing an intranasal vaccine candidate against human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which causes hundreds of thousands of cases of severe respiratory disease worldwide each year – especially among children, older people, and immunocompromised individuals.

Researchers and physicians at the Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ) and other leading cancer centers report an exceptional treatment success in an adolescent with an advanced, therapy-resistant kidney tumor. Using a novel, personalized T-cell therapy, they succeeded in completely pushing back the tumor disease despite multiple metastases.

Researchers from the Medical Faculty Heidelberg, the Medical Faculty Mannheim, and the Centre for Organismal Studies at Heidelberg University have launched a new research project investigating so-called dipeptides. The consortium aims to determine which dipeptides have the strongest protective effects and how they could be harnessed in future therapies for vascular and kidney 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.

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.

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.

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.

The University of Hohenheim becomes a European University through the EuroLeague of Life Sciences Universities. For ELLS, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, this marks the beginning of a new chapter. The decision will provide students, researchers and staff at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart with increased opportunities to study, work and collaborate with partner universities across Europe.

The Friends of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) support the DKFZ and aim to help strengthen its position in the international arena. With the DKFZ Innovation Award, presented at this year’s annual reception, the association honors Helmut Salih, a researcher whose innovative work bridges the gap between immunological research and patient care.

A novel vaccination strategy against certain malignant brain tumors could fundamentally improve treatment for patients. Researchers from the German Cancer Research Center, Mannheim University Medical Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, and numerous partner institutions* have published encouraging long-term results from a clinical trial involving a vaccine that activates the immune system against a common genetic mutation in these tumors.

An environmental bacterium could protect against the effects of stress right through to the next generation. Evidence of this emerged in a study using a mouse model carried out by researchers from Ulm and Frankfurt, the results of which were published in the journal `Molecular Psychiatry´. According to the study, the offspring of treated mothers were better protected against the effects of stress in adulthood than control animals.

The European Union is funding the PALACROS project with nearly €10 million under its “Horizon Europe” research programme. Researchers from Heidelberg University Hospital and Heidelberg University are helping shape the European PALACROS consortium, developing new standards for the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

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.

The two inter-university funding programs SEED4EU+ and 4EU+ Visiting Professorships are entering a new round of calls. With these programs, the 4EU+ European University Alliance pursues the goal of strengthening links between the eight partner universities, giving scope to new ideas and supporting inter-university projects.

On Thursday, 25 June 2026, several Freiburg cancer researchers were honoured at the presentation of the CRIION Joachim Frank Prize 2026. Among them was Prof. Dr Robert Zeiser, who received the Prize for Biomedical Research. Prof. Dr Jürgen Finke, PD Dr Florian Scherer and PD Dr Elisabeth Schorb of the University Medical Center Freiburg, together with Prof. Dr Gerald Illerhaus of Stuttgart Hospital, were awarded the Prize for Clinical Medicine.