Helmholtz Munich Contributes Expertise to Multi-Million DFG Project
A new project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) with an 18-million-euro grant is exploring the potential of the ubiquitin system for cancer therapies. Led by the Technical University of Munich (TUM), this four-year research initiative benefits from Helmholtz Munich's expertise in lung cancer models and drug screening.
Transregio UbiQancer
The DFG's Collaborative Research Centers are among the most significant research funding programs in Germany. They support ambitious, interdisciplinary, and long-term research projects, initially approved for four years. A Transregional Collaborative Research Center (SFB/TRR) is distinguished by the collaboration of partner institutions across regions. Starting in October 2024, Transregio UbiQancer (387) will investigate the ubiquitin system and its role in cancer. Alongside TUM, Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg and Goethe University Frankfurt are co-applicants for the DFG funding. Partners in the project include Helmholtz Munich, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, and the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried near Munich.
Cancer and Ubiquitin
Cancer can be described as a disorder of cell function caused by alterations in the interactions between proteins in the body. A key player in these interactions, and thus in cell function, is the ubiquitin system. The ubiquitin molecule affects the function and degradation of proteins, processes regulated by approximately 1000 different genes in the human body. Changes in ubiquitin-dependent processes can lead to cancer, but these processes are not yet fully understood. In the Transregio UbiQancer project, gaining a better understanding of the ubiquitin system's role in cancer is expected to lead to new approaches for treating various types of tumors.
Helmholtz Munich Expertise
Researchers from the Institute of Lung Health and Immunology at Helmholtz Munich are also contributing their expertise. Lung cancer is characterized by a high number of mutations, making treatment more challenging. To develop new therapies, scientists require patient-oriented models. Prof. Markus Diefenbacher's research group provides state-of-the-art technologies, including adeno-associated viruses for gene delivery and genetically tailored preclinical model systems. Patient-based organoid models, as well as in vivo and ex vivo models, play a central role in collaboration with clinical staff from LMU Hospital and Asklepios. This collaboration enables the consortium to test innovative therapeutic approaches at an early stage.
Dr. Kamyar Hadian and his research group at Helmholtz Munich specialize in identifying new active substances. Their extensive experience with high-throughput biochemical methods and high-content cellular screening will now benefit the Transregio UbiQancer project. His team is part of the "Drug/Probe Discovery Platform," where they develop new inhibitors for promising consortium projects. Prof. Dr. Oliver Plettenburg contributes his long-standing expertise in modern drug optimization, while Dr. Popowicz complements the platform with his experience in the development of highly innovative, computer-assisted, and structure-based drug research. UbiQancer thus has access to a state-of-the-art drug discovery platform. Additionally, Dr. Hadian will collaborate with Prof. Florian Bassermann from TUM, the speaker of UbiQancer, on a project aimed at developing new treatments for multiple myeloma.
