Summary

The pediatric oncology research group focuses on the following two topics of (1) genetic predisposition in childhood cancer and prevention of acute leukemias and (2) translational cellular immunotherapy and oncolytic virotherapy against pediatric sarcoma.

(1) Acute leukemias: Not long ago, genetic predisposition to childhood cancer was purely believed to be attributed to “chance” or “bad-luck”. Now it has been proven that de-novo or inherited cancer predispositions can cause up to 15% of all pediatric tumors. Nevertheless, the overall impact of genetic predispositions is believed to be much higher, with most yet to be discovered. In this regard, we aim to identify and characterize novel disease-causing germline mutations in children with cancer. We further investigate the interplay of genetic predisposition and environmental challenges, including infection and early immune training, in transgenic murine models. By understanding the underlying genetic basis of cancer in combination with training of the innate and adaptive immune system we subsequently aim for early preventive strategies against childhood leukemia.

(2) Pediatric Sarcoma: Pediatric patients with advanced sarcoma carry a poor prognosis, which is why innovative therapy options for these patients are urgently needed. The success of immunotherapy in the treatment of patients with solid tumours is predominantly restricted to entities showing high numbers of tumour infiltrating T cells e.g. directed against somatic mutation derived neo-antigens such as in malignant melanoma. However, unlike melanoma, pediatric cancers such as Ewing’s sarcoma (EwS) are predominantly less immunogenic, probably due to low somatic mutation rates. As therapeutic options for these patients have reached a plateau, innovative new treatment options are warranted. In this regard, our research goal is the introduction of innovative therapy designs such as T cell based immunotherapeutic approaches to improve survival of children and adolecents with high-risk pediatric sarcoma.