Basic Research Projects (D-G)
Author: Dr. med. Ralf Herold, Last modification: 2004/06/16
Molecular Genetic Bases of Pediatric Oncologic Diseases
During the last years, many genetic differences of leukemia and tumor cells have been described. These molecular biologic differences can contribute to a classification system and are of prognostic relevance for the course of disease. Unfortunately, prospective studies with suitable groups of patients allowing an evaluation of the significance of such genetic alterations for the pathogenesis of leukemia and tumors, have not yet been done. Molecular genetic methods for an estimation of remission probability and relapse diagnostic exist nevertheless. The problem lies with choosing the optimal analytical procedures, time, and interval. The Competence Networks basic research concentrates on this optimization potential. It is done in the following four projects:
Project D: Molecular Parameters of Drug Resistance aims at identifying molecular risk factors through systematic analysis of apoptosis signaling pathway activation in leukemia cells.
Project E: Preleukemic Diseases of the Bone Marrow does research on leukemia pathogenesis through characterization of precursors diseases, so called preleukemic bone marrow diseases.
Project F: Prognostic Relevance of Minimal Residual Diseases has the goal to identify possible consequences of minimal residual diseases for therapy decisions in cases of acute leukemia and malignant lymphoma.
Project G: Embryonal Tumors is dedicated to the reserach of the pathogenesis and clinical relevance of molecular genetic differences in embryonic tumors.