Understanding the mechanisms of metastasis
Metastases – that is, secondary tumours formed by cancer cells – pose a major problem in many forms of cancer. As offshoots of the primary tumour, they can grow in distant organs and are often difficult to detect. A research team led by Dr Tobias Reiff at the Institute of Genetics at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) has now discovered molecular mechanisms that enable cancer cells to establish themselves in other tissues. The Wilhelm Sander Foundation funded the project with approximately 183,000 euros. The findings have now been published in the journal *Nature Communications*.
From the laboratory to the clinic: the Wilhelm Sander Foundation is providing €1.9 million in funding for 12 research projects in the fourth quarter of 2025
Basic research meets clinical application: The twelve projects funded by the Wilhelm Sander Foundation in the fourth quarter of 2025 span the spectrum from molecular mechanisms to the treatment room – from the question of how a basement membrane influences metastasis, to AI-supported tools designed to assist doctors in making treatment decisions.
New findings on treatment-resistant paediatric brain tumours
Embryonal tumours with multi-row rosettes (ETMR) are among the rarest and most aggressive brain tumours in early childhood. Despite intensive treatment, the prognosis has so far been very poor. A research project at the University of Münster, funded with €200,000 by the Wilhelm Sander Foundation and led by Prof. Kornelius Kerl, is now providing important new insights into why these tumours are particularly resistant to treatment, whilst also identifying new therapeutic targets.
Researchers are developing a therapeutic approach with few side effects to treat an aggressive form of blood cancer
Researchers led by Prof. Dr Salih from the German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research at the DKFZ’s partner site in Tübingen have, with funding of €528,000 over six years from the Wilhelm Sander Foundation, developed an innovative immunocytokine (a therapeutic antibody with a cytokine attached to it). The ‘modified immunocytokine’ (MIC molecule) specifically activates immune cells against leukaemia cells and can avoid the serious side effects triggered by previously available immunocytokines. In laboratory and animal models, the MIC molecules demonstrated strong and, above all, targeted immune activation against leukaemia – a promising step towards clinical application.
Trends at the Wilhelm Sander Foundation: Excellent research funding with a clear scientific focus
The Wilhelm Sander Foundation has given a positive assessment of its funding activities over recent years. With a record number of applications in 2025 – when over 260 were received, of which 59 were approved totalling around 10 million euros – the Foundation underlines its role as a major driving force behind German cancer research.
YAP inhibitor JUN: New findings on liver cancer
Research project funded by the Wilhelm Sander Foundation successfully completed: Researchers led by Dr Björn von Eyss at the Leibniz Institute for Ageing Research – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) have discovered a surprising protective function of the JUN gene. JUN, previously known as an enhancer of inflammatory and growth signals, has the opposite effect in certain situations. In such cases, it acts as a cellular safety mechanism. If the growth protein YAP becomes too active, JUN curbs its activity. In this way, JUN prevents uncontrolled cell growth and cell proliferation. This protective mechanism could help curb the development of tumours, particularly liver cancer.
A boost for cancer research: The Wilhelm Sander Foundation is funding 15 research projects in the third quarter of 2025 with 2.6 million euros
The Wilhelm Sander Foundation is supporting 15 promising research projects across various fields of oncology with total funding of 2,601,092 euros. Through its funding, the Foundation enables researchers to explore innovative approaches to combating cancer: from the use of artificial intelligence in early detection to new immunotherapy approaches.
Wilhelm Sander Foundation receives 414,000 euros for medical research
The Wilhelm Sander Foundation has received a generous donation of 414,000 euros from the German Research Foundation (DFG), funded by the Georg Thieme Memorial Foundation. The grant will be used to support innovative research projects and thus contributes directly to the Foundation’s central aim of facilitating scientific progress, particularly in medical research.
New treatment option for paediatric brain tumours
Medulloblastoma is one of the most common malignant brain tumours of the central nervous system in children and young people. Around 70 to 80 per cent of those affected can be cured using current treatments. However, many are left to live with severe long-term effects of the aggressive treatments. There is an urgent need for targeted therapies that attack only tumour vulnerabilities whilst sparing normal tissue. Researchers led by Daniel Merk from the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research at Tübingen University Hospital have identified such a vulnerability in the genetic makeup of a subtype of medulloblastoma. The Wilhelm Sander Foundation supported the project with €111,000.
CDK4/6 inhibitors: New hope for the treatment of bowel cancer
Researchers at Würzburg University Hospital and LMU Munich have investigated the efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors in colorectal cancer – with promising results. The drugs, originally developed for breast cancer, effectively slow the growth of colorectal cancer cells, even in treatment-resistant tumours. The protein p16 is crucial to the success of the treatment: cancer cells with high p16 expression respond less well to the treatment. The protein could serve as a biomarker to identify patients who are likely to benefit most. The study, funded by the Wilhelm Sander Foundation, was published in *Cellular Oncology* and could pave the way for personalised treatment approaches.