The research group of Prof. Bleckmann investigates the mechanisms of tumor progression, especially the single steps of the metastatic cascade in solid tumors, with a particular focus on lung and colorectal cancer. In order to better understand the mechanisms of tumor invasion, we analyze patient samples as well as cell lines via high-throughput methods on the RNA, protein and metabolic level (e.g. via single cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, Proteomics). Based on the results, we aim to define signatures that correlate with clinical parameters and that in the end can provide information about the prognosis or therapy response of cancer patients.

As lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and often driven by specific molecular alterations that are detectable in blood, Prof. Bleckmann’s team is particularly interested in developing novel minimally invasive liquid biopsy assays. Here, we combine the measurement of known molecular alterations with novel analytes in a multimodal approach. Our aim is to improve patients' survival by monitoring the course of the disease in order to detect relapse or progression prior to imaging. In this regard, we have a special interest in the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in lung cancer and in identifying groups of patients that benefit or do not benefit from immunotherapy.

Lately, the number of young patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer has risen alarmingly. Since 2022, the team is therefore also part of the BMFTR-funded consortium Permiccion which aims to understand the role of the tumor microbiome for the development and metastasis of colorectal cancer in young patients. More information can be found here: https://www.permiccion.de

The research group of Dr. Menck is interested in extracellular signaling pathways in cancer. A particular focus is to study cell-to-cell communication via so-called extracellular vesicles (EVs), small membrane particles released by all living cells. One the one hand, we are particularly interested in characterizing the diverse EV populations secreted by tumor cells and in understanding how they are formed. We believe that this is the basis to develop novel therapeutic inhibitors targeting this process in the future. On the other hand, we aim to elucidate the functional effects of tumor-derived EVs on neighboring stroma cells (e.g. immune cells) and understand how they contribute to the formation of pre-metastatic niches.