The National Centers for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Dresden, in the eastern part of Germany, has recently appointed Dr. Hanno Glimm to the position of Professor for „Translational Medical Oncology”. Somewhat like a doctor detective, Dr. Glimm focuses his work on uncovering genetic changes in tumor cells, which means he basically works to unlock the hidden genetic clues in a tumor’s DNA. As a result, his research is looking for new ways to design highly individualized therapy plans for cancer patients who have had little to no success with other treatment options.Tumor code

“For many types of cancer, there are already well proven approaches in cancer treatment. However, if a tumor has already received radiation, or preexisting treatments perform poorly for them, or the cancer has few options to begin with--which is true for young cancer patients and rare forms of tumors--understanding the genes behind the cancer cells can provide potentially life-saving clues for other therapy approaches,” says Dr. Glimm.  With this information, he can aggressively hunt for the genetic code, or DNA, of a patient’s tumors. “We want to pinpoint the triggers for the cancer which may better respond to the medications currently available,” explains Dr. Glimm.

NCT Dresden’s research promises to lead to the development of new medications. And we will keep you updated with the exciting developments as they emerge. Stay tuned!