Building bridges between research and clinical practice: Four new young scientists receive funding at the NCT Heidelberg
With its Clinical Translational Research Placement Fellowship, the NCT Heidelberg supports young scientists working at the interface between laboratory and clinical practice. The aim of the program is to enable translational research projects that have a clear focus on bringing new therapies to patients more quickly. Four new fellows have now joined the program. They are united by strong scientific dedication, a keen interest in interdisciplinary collaboration, and the ambition to make a tangible difference for patients through research.
The fellowship is aimed at oncologists and medical scientists in the early stages of their careers. It is part of NCT Heidelberg’s strategy to systematically strengthen the development of investigator-initiated trials (IITs).
Key components of the fellowship include:
- Protected research time (3 to 6 months, depending on the scope) in the fellow’s own department or a host department aligned with the project in Heidelberg
- Guidance and expert feedback from the Clinical Trial Center*, the Trial Concept Board**, and other specialists
- Training opportunities on topics such as study protocol development, patient involvement, and medical ethics
- Development of competitive study concepts for the NCT OCT2 program
*The NCT Clinical Trial Center Heidelberg supports the efficient planning, conduct and evaluation of academic early-phase clinical trials.
** The Trial Concept Board is a forum at the NCT Heidelberg where study ideas are presented, discussed in an interdisciplinary manner and further developed – with the aim of ensuring optimal preparation for submission to the NCT OCT2 program.
The Four Fellows in Profile
Enise Ceran: Preventing Relapse in AML More Effectively
Enise Ceran aims to help detect and prevent relapses in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at an earlier stage. As part of her fellowship at NCT Heidelberg, she is analyzing data from the BLAST clinical trial, which investigated the effects of a targeted therapy on specific receptors in AML patients. Ceran combines these study data with advanced single-cell analyses to identify novel biomarkers – biological indicators that can signal an increased risk of relapse.
In the long term, she plans to build on this foundation to develop personalized treatment strategies, including the use of tailored immunotherapies such as CAR-NK cell approaches. Ceran says: “I am motivated by the opportunity to translate scientific insights directly into patient care – and thereby improve survival outcomes.” At NCT Heidelberg, she finds the ideal environment: a close link between research and clinical practice, which she intends to leverage as a clinician scientist.
Felix Englert: New Perspectives in Radiation Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer
Felix Englert is developing a clinical trial for the neoadjuvant treatment of pancreatic cancer as part of his fellowship. The study will combine chemotherapy with highly precise carbon ion radiation – with the goal of improving local tumor control and increasing the likelihood of complete surgical removal (R0 resection). The trial will utilize the outstanding technical capabilities of the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT).
Englert says: “I am pleased that the fellowship gives me the time and support needed to advance this project in a structured way – and to gain new perspectives through exchange with the other fellows.” His path is marked by interdisciplinary experience: before studying medicine, he completed studies in geophysics and astronomy – a background he now sees as an asset for developing creative solutions in oncology.
Leonie Kram: Better Protecting Language Function in Pediatric Brain Tumor Surgery
Speech therapist and neuroscientist Leonie Kram is pursuing a goal of lasting importance through her fellowship: improving the assessment and protection of language function in children undergoing brain tumor surgery. She is developing new test procedures for language mapping in pediatric brain tumor patients using navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS). This method can be applied to children for whom awake surgery – the standard approach for adults – is not feasible.
By adapting test procedures to developmental stages, language areas in the brain can be mapped more precisely and better protected during surgery. Kram says: “I want to prevent language impairments more effectively and preserve the quality of life of children with brain tumors.” Her research combines clinical therapeutic experience with methodological innovation, making an important contribution to personalized pediatric neuro-oncology.
Maximilian Schönung: Epigenetic Markers for Leukemia Diagnostics
Maximilian Schönung developed an epigenetic classification model for pediatric leukemia during his doctoral studies at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and NCT Heidelberg, which is currently being evaluated in a clinical trial. As part of his fellowship, he is designing a clinical study protocol to make broader use of epigenetic biomarkers in leukemia diagnostics. His goal is to develop a platform that integrates genome-wide epigenetic and genetic signatures, enabling faster, more precise, and risk-adapted diagnostics.
Schönung says: “What excites me most is the opportunity to directly translate molecular insights into clinical trials – in such an interdisciplinary environment as NCT Heidelberg.” In the future, he plans to establish his own research group focusing on the clinical implementation of such biomarkers.
Building bridges between research and clinical practice: Four new young scientists receive funding at the NCT Heidelberg
With its Clinical Translational Research Placement Fellowship, the NCT Heidelberg supports young scientists working at the interface between laboratory and clinical practice. The aim of the program is to enable translational research projects that have a clear focus on bringing new therapies to patients more quickly. Four new fellows have now joined the program. They are united by strong scientific dedication, a keen interest in interdisciplinary collaboration, and the ambition to make a tangible difference for patients through research.
The fellowship is aimed at oncologists and medical scientists in the early stages of their careers. It is part of NCT Heidelberg’s strategy to systematically strengthen the development of investigator-initiated trials (IITs).
Key components of the fellowship include:
- Protected research time (3 to 6 months, depending on the scope) in the fellow’s own department or a host department aligned with the project in Heidelberg
- Guidance and expert feedback from the Clinical Trial Center*, the Trial Concept Board**, and other specialists
- Training opportunities on topics such as study protocol development, patient involvement, and medical ethics
- Development of competitive study concepts for the NCT OCT2 program
*The NCT Clinical Trial Center Heidelberg supports the efficient planning, conduct and evaluation of academic early-phase clinical trials.
** The Trial Concept Board is a forum at the NCT Heidelberg where study ideas are presented, discussed in an interdisciplinary manner and further developed – with the aim of ensuring optimal preparation for submission to the NCT OCT2 program.
The Four Fellows in Profile
Enise Ceran: Preventing Relapse in AML More Effectively
Enise Ceran aims to help detect and prevent relapses in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at an earlier stage. As part of her fellowship at NCT Heidelberg, she is analyzing data from the BLAST clinical trial, which investigated the effects of a targeted therapy on specific receptors in AML patients. Ceran combines these study data with advanced single-cell analyses to identify novel biomarkers – biological indicators that can signal an increased risk of relapse.
In the long term, she plans to build on this foundation to develop personalized treatment strategies, including the use of tailored immunotherapies such as CAR-NK cell approaches. Ceran says: “I am motivated by the opportunity to translate scientific insights directly into patient care – and thereby improve survival outcomes.” At NCT Heidelberg, she finds the ideal environment: a close link between research and clinical practice, which she intends to leverage as a clinician scientist.
Felix Englert: New Perspectives in Radiation Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer
Felix Englert is developing a clinical trial for the neoadjuvant treatment of pancreatic cancer as part of his fellowship. The study will combine chemotherapy with highly precise carbon ion radiation – with the goal of improving local tumor control and increasing the likelihood of complete surgical removal (R0 resection). The trial will utilize the outstanding technical capabilities of the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT).
Englert says: “I am pleased that the fellowship gives me the time and support needed to advance this project in a structured way – and to gain new perspectives through exchange with the other fellows.” His path is marked by interdisciplinary experience: before studying medicine, he completed studies in geophysics and astronomy – a background he now sees as an asset for developing creative solutions in oncology.
Leonie Kram: Better Protecting Language Function in Pediatric Brain Tumor Surgery
Speech therapist and neuroscientist Leonie Kram is pursuing a goal of lasting importance through her fellowship: improving the assessment and protection of language function in children undergoing brain tumor surgery. She is developing new test procedures for language mapping in pediatric brain tumor patients using navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS). This method can be applied to children for whom awake surgery – the standard approach for adults – is not feasible.
By adapting test procedures to developmental stages, language areas in the brain can be mapped more precisely and better protected during surgery. Kram says: “I want to prevent language impairments more effectively and preserve the quality of life of children with brain tumors.” Her research combines clinical therapeutic experience with methodological innovation, making an important contribution to personalized pediatric neuro-oncology.
Maximilian Schönung: Epigenetic Markers for Leukemia Diagnostics
Maximilian Schönung developed an epigenetic classification model for pediatric leukemia during his doctoral studies at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and NCT Heidelberg, which is currently being evaluated in a clinical trial. As part of his fellowship, he is designing a clinical study protocol to make broader use of epigenetic biomarkers in leukemia diagnostics. His goal is to develop a platform that integrates genome-wide epigenetic and genetic signatures, enabling faster, more precise, and risk-adapted diagnostics.
Schönung says: “What excites me most is the opportunity to directly translate molecular insights into clinical trials – in such an interdisciplinary environment as NCT Heidelberg.” In the future, he plans to establish his own research group focusing on the clinical implementation of such biomarkers.