Core Research Programs
Research at UCT Mainz is organized into four closely connected scientific and translational Core Research Programs:
Together, these programs connect basic, translational, and clinical research to accelerate the development of new approaches to cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Collaborations with leading research institutions provide complementary expertise and technologies and foster innovative joint research initiatives.
Cancer Immunotherapy
Researchers at UCT Mainz have shaped tumor immunology and cancer immunotherapy for more than four decades. Their work integrates basic and translational research with early-phase clinical trials, establishing cancer immunotherapy as a major translational focus of UCT Mainz and the University Medical Center Mainz.
Strong local, regional, national, and international collaborations connect UCT Mainz with academic institutions, industry, and regulatory partners. BioNTech SE and TRON gGmbH, both originating from the Mainz research environment, further contribute to translating scientific discoveries into clinical applications.
The Cancer Immunotherapy Program addresses key challenges such as tumor immune escape and tumor plasticity through rational combination therapies and precision immunotherapy approaches. A UCT-wide biosampling program linked to the Personalized Oncology Board will further support biomarker research, translational studies, and the development of innovative treatment strategies.
Oncogenic Pathways
Oncogenic signaling and epigenetic alterations are key drivers of cancer development, progression, and treatment resistance. Beyond their tumor-intrinsic effects, these molecular alterations can profoundly influence antitumor immunity by shaping tumor cell immunogenicity and the composition and function of the tumor microenvironment.
The Oncogenic Pathways Program investigates how oncogenic signaling networks, DNA damage and repair mechanisms, and epigenetic regulation affect tumor–immune interactions and therapeutic response. A detailed understanding of these mechanisms provides the scientific basis for developing rational treatment combinations that integrate molecularly targeted therapies with immunotherapy.
In close collaboration with the Cancer Immunotherapy Program, researchers at UCT Mainz aim to translate mechanistic insights into biomarker-guided and clinically relevant combination strategies.
Molecular Diagnostics & Early Detection
The Molecular Diagnostics & Early Detection Program is an emerging research area at UCT Mainz with growing relevance for cancer prevention, early diagnosis, and personalized treatment. A central focus is the use of peripheral blood as a minimally invasive source of molecular information reflecting tumor development, residual disease, and treatment response.
By integrating liquid biopsy approaches, circulating tumor DNA analysis, targeted sequencing, antibody-based proteomics, and multi-omics technologies, the program aims to identify biomarkers for cancer risk, early-stage disease, relapse, and therapeutic response. These approaches will support the development of more precise strategies for disease monitoring, minimal residual disease detection, and biomarker-guided treatment within the UCT Mainz network.
Outcome Research
UCT Mainz has longstanding and internationally recognized expertise in cancer epidemiology and outcomes research. The program investigates factors influencing cancer incidence, mortality, treatment outcomes, and long-term health after cancer therapy.
Research focuses on survival, second malignancies, cardiovascular late effects, quality of life, psychosocial rehabilitation, and cancer survivorship. By systematically assessing long-term outcomes and patient-reported experiences, the program aims to identify unmet needs, reduce the burden of treatment-related effects, and improve quality of life throughout and beyond cancer treatment.
Future priorities include the routine integration of quality-of-life measures and patient-reported outcomes into clinical trials at UCT Mainz. A dedicated data hub will further strengthen the infrastructure for linking clinical, epidemiological, and patient-reported data and for conducting high-dimensional analyses that support more patient-centered cancer care.