CCC-N's "Interdisciplinary Centre for Clinical Cancer Research" (IZKKF) strengthens young scientists and access to clinical trials.
Minister Falko Mohrs (centre) presented the funding decision to Professor Michael Manns (right) and Professor Wolfgang Brück. Copyright: André Schweigler / MHH.
Advancing clinical cancer research in Lower Saxony: The Comprehensive Cancer Centre Lower Saxony (CCC-N) has set itself this task. The CCC-N is an association of the Hannover Medical School (MHH) and the University Medical Centre Göttingen (UMG) and is funded as an Oncological Centre of Excellence by German Cancer Aid. New development opportunities are now offered by the joint scientific space "Interdisciplinary Centre for Clinical Cancer Research (IZKKF)", which is being funded for five years with 4.5 million from the zukunft.niedersachsen programme of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture and the Volkswagen Foundation. The CCC-N's IZKKF is thus one of 16 science centres in Lower Saxony. It bundles and specifically promotes networked research activities in the state, in particular science-driven clinical research (investigator-initiated trials, so-called IITs) and young scientists.
"The rising number of cancer cases in Germany is a challenge that research, healthcare and society must face together. Innovative approaches in cancer research are necessary in order to better understand the disease and find new diagnostic and therapeutic methods. The IZKKF science area supports the CCC-N of the MHH and UMG in the organisation and strategic development of excellent cross-site oncological research projects. With its well-established committees, the Centre of Excellence in Oncology offers ideal structural conditions for this," says Falko Mohrs, Lower Saxony's Minister for Science and Culture.
"It is the declared mission of the CCC-N to compete nationally and internationally as the spearhead of cutting-edge oncological medicine in Lower Saxony. Following the renewed funding by German Cancer Aid as an Oncological Centre of Excellence, the scientific area offers excellent conditions for the further development of oncology in Lower Saxony. This also creates the conditions for successfully applying for membership in further collaborative research programmes in the future," says Professor Dr. Michael Manns, President of the MHH.
"The IZKKF's two focal points of promoting young scientists and clinical trials in cancer medicine fit in very well with the strategy of the current National Decade against Cancer of the Federal Ministry of Health. With this funding, we can invest even better in the scientific future and improve access to innovations for people with cancer throughout Lower Saxony," says Professor Dr Wolfgang Brück, Spokesman of the Board of Directors of the UMG.
Science area promotes translation and clinical studies
Clinical trials are almost always required for innovations from cancer research to reach medical care. At the same time, these are one of the most important bottlenecks in the successful translation of new scientific findings throughout Germany. This is precisely where the CCC-N's IZKKF science centre comes in. It comprises two main modules: The INKUBATOR module focuses on preclinical translational cancer research and the promotion of young scientists. The SIFON module ("Cross-site Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Oncology Lower Saxony") concentrates on the promotion of clinical studies.
Promotion of multisite, multidisciplinary cancer research
The INKUBATOR module at the IZKKF is a flexible funding instrument for cross-site and multidisciplinary translational cancer research in Lower Saxony. Scientists with a focus on translational cancer research ("translational scientists") can receive flexible start-up funding for highly innovative interdisciplinary oncological research approaches. "The aim is to specifically promote young scientists," explains Professor Dr Philipp Ströbel, deputy project leader and deputy spokesperson of the University Cancer Centre Göttingen (G-CCC) at the UMG. "After graduation, building a network and acquiring third-party funding are crucial for scientific independence. This requires extensive preparatory work. In addition to translational research projects, this also includes the successful realisation of clinical studies. The INKUBATOR start-up funding is intended to make the transition easier for young scientists."
Improving access to innovative cancer treatment
Clinical trials enable early access to innovative treatment methods. Nevertheless, the number of studies and patients recruited in Germany is continuously decreasing. The main reasons for this are EU directives, German standards and a high administrative burden, which complicate the realisation of clinical trials. The SIFON module is dedicated to this challenge. "Insufficient regional coordination and the focus on individual common cancers and a small number of study centres mean that we do not include many patients and that vulnerable groups, such as patients with rare tumours, are excluded from innovations," says Professor Dr Jörg Haier, project manager of the IZKKF and Managing Director of the CCC at the MHH. "That's why we want to expand the infrastructural and procedural requirements for the management and recruitment into clinical trials in the SIFON module and, in particular, improve access to research-driven trials (IITs) in Lower Saxony." The aim is to ensure that patients throughout the state have access to medical innovations. Regional networks are to be expanded to enable clinical trials to be conducted outside of university structures.
The project partners of the IZKKF science centre are Oldenburg University Hospital and Braunschweig Hospital, an academic teaching hospital of the MHH.
The CCC-N of the MHH and UMG is an Oncological Centre of Excellence awarded by German Cancer Aid. Together, the two sites are committed to the goal of providing cancer patients with even better care based on the latest scientific findings and driving forward innovative cancer research.
Text: Maike Isfort