Coordination of DKFZ activities: Her2+ xenografts, characterization of CTCs with metastasis initiating capacity in vivo. Patient derived xenograft models to mechanistically study ctDNA and cfmiRNAs.

Andreas Trumpp has more than 14 years of experience in the field of stem cells and cancer stem cells. He discovered that the most potent bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) are in a deep dormancy and chemoresistant stage (Cell 2008; 135:1118-29). These dormant HSCs can be activated and sensitized by Interferons (Nature 2009; 458:904-8). He provided a proof of concept that primary uncultured human CTCs can initiate new metastasis after transplantation into NSG mice and identified MET, CD44 and CD47 as receptors to prospectively identify breast cancer metastasis-stem cells (Nature Biotechnology 2013; 6:539-44). Expression of MET and CD47 correlate with very poor prognosis in ER+  luminal breast cancer patients (Oncotarget 2014; 5 (18): 8147-60).

The German Cancer Research Centre (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum DKFZ) is one of the leading cancer research centres in Germany and Europe. Established in 1964 as a foundation under public law. The DKFZ is a member of the Helmholtz Association – Germany’s largest research organisation.

The strategic goals of the DKFZ are to contribute towards a better understanding of fundamental processes in cancer and to develop innovative methods of cancer diagnostics and therapy. The research program is divided into seven main research areas:

•    Cell Biology and Tumour Biology
•    Structural and Functional Genomics
•    Cancer Risk Factors and Prevention
•    Tumour Immunology
•    Imaging and Radio oncology
•    Infection and Cancer
•    Translational Cancer Research.