Medical progress is no accident. It arises where bright minds work together, share knowledge and bear responsibility collectively. Cancer research in particular demonstrates just how crucial this collaboration is: basic research, clinical application and technological innovation are all interlinked. And so, through dialogue between disciplines, universities, hospitals and non-university institutions, groundbreaking breakthroughs are achieved. It is the role of policymakers to create the ideal framework conditions for all these partners to work together. But a vibrant research landscape also requires the commitment of private funders, who open up new avenues where institutional structures reach their limits.

For fifty years, the Wilhelm Sander Foundation has embodied the courage to invest in ideas before their value can be proven. With over 2,700 funded projects and a total funding volume of 350 million euros, it has not only enabled research during this time, but has also shaped careers, fostered networks and created a scientific culture of exchange. Through its funding of HPV research, the Foundation exemplifies what is possible when funding is long-term and based on trust.

Fifty years is a reason to celebrate – but it is also a commitment. For the challenges in cancer research remain considerable, and the hopes of patients are even greater. Together with our medical faculties and university hospitals, as well as the Bavarian Centre for Cancer Research (BZKF), we are working hard towards our goal – a cancer-free future. For half a century, the Wilhelm Sander Foundation has supported and complemented our public sector commitment with reliability, consistency and passion. For this, a very heartfelt thank you! I offer my warmest congratulations on this anniversary and look forward to the next fifty years.