Institute of Pathology (PATH)
The individual risk of developing cancer and the tumor’s response to therapeutic intervention are determined by both genetic and environmental factors. In addition, the rate of response to therapy differs among patients because of the heterogeneous genetic makeup of each individual tumor. Within the POF II-Program “Mechanisms of Response: Individualized prediction of response to therapy” it is our aim to identify and characterize biological changes in cancer cells, which might enable to predict whether the patients are likely to respond to therapy. In future, this will allow the development of effective individualized therapy protocols. Furthermore we want to enable intervention as early as possible by identifying genetic changes that underlie susceptibility to developing cancer.
In addition, the researchers of the institute are involved in scientific cooperations that capitalize on our expertise and state-of-the-art equipments for histopathology of small animals and biomedical microscopy.
Research groups
1. Individualization of cancer diagnosis and therapy response prediction
Head: Prof. Dr. med. Heinz Höfler
Principal investigators: PD Dr. rer. nat. Michaela Aubele, Prof. Dr. med. Irene Esposito, Dr. rer. nat. Natalia Pellegata, Prof. Dr. med. Axel Walch
- Therapy response prediction and prognostic markers in breast cancer (Principal Investigator Dr. rer. nat. M. Aubele)
- Molecular markers and therapeutic options in pancreatic cancer (Principal Investigator Prof. Dr. med. I. Esposito, till 2010) and in neurodegenerative diseases (Dr. med. F. Neff)
- Neuroendocrine tumors from genetic predisposition to therapy-response studies (Principal Investigator Dr. rer. nat. N. Pellegata).
2. Clinical Cooperation Group Osteosarcoma
Head: Prof. Dr. med. Michaela Nathrath
3. Clinical Cooperation Group Innate Immunity in Tumor Biology
Head: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Gabriele Multhoff
Cooperations of the Institute within the POF II Program
Research Unit
- Analytical Pathology
Head: Prof. Dr. med. Axel Walch
