Translational pediatric sarcoma research
The mission of the division of "Translational Pediatric Sarcomas Research", which corresponds to the DKFZ division of the same name, is to improve treatment options for children, adolescents and young adults affected by sarcomas. We also investigate less aggressive therapies and new approaches to overcome drug resistance of tumors.
To accomplish our mission, the division Translational Pediatric Sarcoma Research is comprised of four highly synergistic teams.
The team Translational Genomics (Prof. Dr. Dr. T. Grünewald & Dr. Dr. Jing Li) systematically establishes multi-dimensional omics-datasets of a large number of pediatric sarcomas and correlates molecular alterations with clinical data to identify new driver mutations, disease-relevant drug targets and prognostic/predictive biomarkers, and to create resources for hypothesis generation and functional validation for future projects.
The team Mechanisms of Cancer Progression (Dr. F. Cidre-Aranaz) aims at deconvoluting the multilayered process underlying cancer progression and metastasis. For this purpose, systems biology approaches based on multi-omics data and clinical information with functional in vitro and in vivo experiments are combined to identify treatable vulnerabilities in pediatric sarcomas that can prevent metastasis.
The team Innovative Therapies (Dr. S. Ohmura) is investigating potential therapeutic targets for pediatric sarcomas in preclinical models. The focus here lies in developing and testing new targeted therapy approaches, including immunotherapy, that enable more effective therapy with fewer side effects, especially for patients with chemo resistant tumors.
The team Oncogenic Signaling (Dr. M. Knott) focuses on exploring and therapeutically exploiting oncogenic transcriptional networks in fusion transcription factor (fTF)-driven malignancies. We combine cutting-edge genomic and epigenomic technologies to uncover neomorphic properties of fusion oncogenes and rewire oncogenic signaling pathways into safe and highly specific avenues for therapeutic targeting.
Spotlight - AG Grünewald
Broad array of methods and interdisciplinary approach
Our translational research activities encompass a broad array of methods and we work in a highly interdisciplinary approach to discover new treatment options for children, adolescents and young adults affected by malignant bone and soft-tissue sarcomas.
Dominant oncogenes often hijack or interfere with developmental pathways thereby conferring a considerable growth advantage to tumor cells. We are interested in the mechanisms through which oncogenes arrest sarcoma cells in a lineage-specific, early-committed but yet largely undifferentiated state via deregulation of key developmental pathways, and how they cooperate with them to promote tumorigenesis and cancer progression.
Primary and/or secondary resistance to conventional chemotherapeutic drugs is a frequent event in pediatric sarcoma. Chemo-resistance is a highly specific process in which tumors become resistant to certain drugs while maintaining (limited) susceptibility toward others. Underlying to this resistance is considerable plasticity due to intra-tumor heterogeneity, which enables the adaptation to therapeutic stress on the clonal and sub-clonal level. We strive for illuminating the genetic basis and biological mechanisms of tumor-heterogeneity and aim at identifying novel biomarkers for individualized risk-stratification, prediction of treatment response, and to indicate which targeted therapeutics may help overcoming resistance to conventional (chemo)therapeutics.
Translational Genomics
The team Translational Genomics (T. Grünewald) systematically established multi-dimensional omics-datasets of a large number of pediatric sarcomas and correlates identified molecular alterations with clinical data to identify novel driver mutations, druggable targets and prognostic/predictive biomarkers, and to create resources for hypothesis generation and functional validation.
Contact:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dr. Thomas Grünewald
Phone: +49 6221 42 3718
E-Mail: t.gruenewald(at)kitz-heidelberg.de
Mechanisms of Cancer Progression
The team Mechanisms of Cancer Progression (F. Cidre-Aranaz) aims at deconvoluting the multilayered process underlying cancer progression and metastasis. We employ systems biology approaches combining in vitro and in vivo functional characterization of potential targets with multi-omics data and clinical information to identify targetable vulnerabilities in pediatric sarcomas.
Contact:
Dr. Florencia Cidre-Aranaz
Phone: +49 6221 42 3717
E-Mail: florencia.cidrearanaz(at)kitz-heidelberg.de
Innovative Therapies
The team Innovative Therapies (S. Ohmura) investigates potential therapeutic targets for pediatric sarcomas through comprehensive analyses crossing omics and clinical data sets. Our scope lies in developing targeted approaches with a particular emphasis on therapy-refractory tumors, which may enable more effective therapies with less adverse effects.
Contact:
Dr. Shunya Ohmura
Phone: +49 6221 42 3717
E-Mail: shunya.ohmura(at)kitz-heidelberg.de
Organic Signaling
The team Oncogenic Signaling (Dr. M. Knott) focuses on exploring and therapeutically exploiting oncogenic transcriptional networks in fusion transcription factor (fTF)-driven malignancies.
Contact:
Dr. Max Knott
Phone: +49 6221 42 3717
E-Mail: maximilian.knott(at)kitz-heidelberg.de
2025 - Nat Commun 16, 380 (2025)
Genomic and phenotypic stability of fusion-driven pediatric sarcoma cell lines
Kasan M, Geyer FH, Siebenlist J, Sill M, Öllinger R, Faehling T, de Álava E, Surdez D, Dirksen U, Oehme I, Scotlandi K, Delattre O, Müller-Nurasyid M, Rad R, Strauch K, Grünewald TGP, Cidre-Aranaz F.
2021 - Nat Commun 2021 Sept;12(1):5356
Therapeutic targeting of the PLK1-PRC1-axis triggers cell death in genomically silent childhood cancer
Li J, Ohmura S, Marchetto A, Orth MF, Imle R, Dallmayer M, Musa J, Knott MML, Hölting TLB, Stein S, Funk CM, Sastre A, Alonso J, Bestvater F, Kasan M, Romero-Pérez L, Hartmann W, Ranft A, Banito A, Dirksen U, Kirchner T, Cidre-Aranaz F, Grünewald TGP
2020 - Nat Commun 2020 May;11(1):2423
Oncogenic hijacking of a developmental transcription factor evokes vulnerability toward oxidative stress in Ewing sarcoma
Marchetto A, Ohmura S, Orth MF, Knott MML, Colombo MV, Arrigoni C, Bardinet V, Saucier D, Wehweck FS, Li J, Stein S, Gerke JS, Baldauf MC, Musa J, Dallmayer M, Romero-Pérez L, Hölting TLB, Amatruda JF, Cossarizza A, Henssen AG, Kircher T,Moretti M, Cidre-Aranaz F, Sannino G, Grünewald TGP
2019 - Nat Commun 2019 Sept;10(1):4128
Cooperation of cancer drivers with germline regulatory variants shapes clinical outcomes
Musa J, Cidre-Aranaz F, Aynaud MM, Orth MF, Knott MML, Mirabeau M, Mazor G, Varon M, Hölting TLB, Grossetête S, Gartlgruber M, Surdez D, Gerke JS, Ohmura S, Marchetto A, Dallmayer M, Baldauf MC, Stein S, Sannino G, Li J, Romero-Pérez L, Westermann F, Hartmann W, Dirksen U, Gymrek M, Anderson ND, Shlien A, Rotblat B, Kirchner T, Delattre O, Grünewald TG
Team members
- Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dr. Thomas Grünewald (Division Head & Team Leader)
- Dr. Florencia Cidre-Aranaz (Deputy Division Head & Team Leader)
- Dr. Shunya Ohmura (Team Leader & Postdoc)
- Dr. Dr. Jing Li (Co-Team leder & Postdoc)
- Dr. Kimberley Hanssen (Postdoc)
- Dr. Dr. Clémence Hénon (Postdoc)
- Dr. Max Knott (Postdoc)
- Dr. Pablo Taboas Outon (Postdoc)
- Dr. Julian Musa (Physician Scientist)
- Richard Arndt (MD Thesis Student)
- Martha Julia Carreño Gonzalez (PhD/MD Thesis Studentin)
- Anna Ehlers (PhD/MD Thesis Student)
- Rafat Esso (PhD/ MD Thesis Student)
- Tobias Faehling (PhD/MD Thesis Student)
- Linus Fischer (PhD student)
- Florian Geyer (PhD/MD Thesis Student)
- Nina Hahnen (PhD/MD Thesis Student)
- Paul Heinemann (PhD student)
- Annika Jeschke (PhD/MD Thesis Student)
- J-Ann Lego (PhD/MD Thesis Studentin)
- Lovro Marjanovic (PhD/ MD Thesis Student)
- David Obermeier (PhD/MD Thesis Student)
- Alina Ritter (PhD/MD Thesis Student)
- Timo Trinczek (MD Thesis Student)
- Angelina Yershova (PhD/MD Thesis Student)
- Malenka Zimmermann (PhD/MD Thesis Student)
- Marcella Mandel (PhD student)
- Olivia Gopleac (Master student)
- Annika Tietz (Master student)
- Nadine Gmelin (Technician)
- Sabrina Knoth (Technician)
- Stefanie Kutschmann (Technician)
- Maite Hannemann (Administration)
Postal address:
Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ)
Div. Translational Pediatric Sarcoma Research/B410
Im Neuenheimer Feld 280
69120 Heidelberg