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 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.

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.

Jan-Hendrik Bolten, Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg (UKHD), is working on new radiation treatment concepts for locally confined prostate cancer. The goal of his “ENDLESS SMILE” project is to further develop ultra-hypofractionated therapies – that is, treatments with very few, but higher-dose sessions – to significantly shorten the duration of therapy. Until now, such approaches have typically required the implantation of gold markers into the prostate. In the future, these markers may no longer be necessary due to the use of daily-adjusted radiation therapy on a linear accelerator with integrated MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). The highly detailed MRI images allow radiation to be precisely tailored to the individual anatomy, which is expected to reduce side effects and improve patient comfort.

Jan-Hendrik Bolten hopes that the fellowship will allow him to finalize the study concept and gain new insights for clinical implementation through interdisciplinary exchange. He says: “In my view, the most innovative and, at the same time, clinically relevant solutions emerge where different professional perspectives come together.”

Fabian Falkenbach, Department of Urology, UKHD, is dedicated to improving the patient experience during prostate biopsy. The procedure is central to diagnosis but is often perceived as stressful. In the planned PEACE-PB study, he is investigating whether a complementary mind-body intervention—such as targeted preparation, breathing, and relaxation techniques—can reduce pain and anxiety during the procedure. This will be investigated during transperineal prostate biopsies under local anesthesia by systematically recording how patients perceive the procedure. The goal of the study is to make the procedure more tolerable for patients and thereby also increase acceptance of early detection and active surveillance. With his project, Fabian Falkenbach aims to develop an approach that can be easily integrated into everyday clinical practice. 

With the fellowship, which he will undertake at the Clinical Epidemiology of Early Cancer Detection at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), he aims to lay the groundwork for a successful study and further develop his skills as a clinical trialist. At the same time, he emphasizes: “Research—and life, too—is always a team effort; without my wife’s support, much of this would not be possible.” 

Laila Jötten, Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, UKHD, is investigating the influence of the tumor microbiome on treatment outcomes in pancreatic cancer. For this type of cancer, surgery is often the only chance for a cure. A key factor is how well the disease responds to prior therapy. Preclinical and early clinical data suggest that certain bacteria may impair the effectiveness of chemotherapy, while antibiotic therapies could improve response. Her project aims to systematically analyze these relationships and better understand their clinical relevance.

As part of the fellowship, Laila Jötten plans to conduct a multicenter study with a translational approach that also incorporates molecular analyses. In the long term, the goal is to determine whether the microbiome can be used as a therapeutic target. With the fellowship, she particularly hopes to advance the complex study planning. She says: “I am especially excited about the further development of cancer therapies and the wide range of possibilities for making this a reality.”

Paulina Schad, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Immunology, UKHD and Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg, is working on a new therapeutic approach for children with cancer. The focus is on a fusion protein that specifically targets the tumor microenvironment and is intended to improve the efficacy of modern immunotherapies such as CAR-T cells. The rationale is that not all patients respond equally well to these therapies.

The project aims to create the conditions for a better response to immunotherapies and make their use possible for more patients. During her fellowship, Paulina Schad is conducting a comprehensive evaluation on the safety and tolerability of the new approach to lay the groundwork for sharpening the clinical trial design.

She says: “The fellowship provides the necessary protected environment to develop a well-founded and structured study design.” At the same time, she aims to further develop her skills in independent study planning and benefit from interdisciplinary exchange.