School
The UNITE School of Neurooncology promotes advances in neurooncology through innovative research and concerted education and training.
The UNITE school provides a tailored education program for scientists and physician-scientists in neurooncology research and medicine. Whilst there are strong career pathways and comparatively good funding opportunities for MD or PhD students and PostDocs, the current structure of medical schools and universities does not cover for the later career path of physician-scientists. The UNITE school therefore particularly focuses on recruiting physician-scientists to provide protected research time.
All UNITE fellows are fully integrated into the laboratories, meetings and scientific communications of the responsible departments and groups. Their interdisciplinary research projects aim at the efficient translation of research findings into clinical application. The research focus is on understanding brain tumor biology and overcoming resistance in primary brain tumors by applying high-throughput molecular profiling, radiomics, and bioinformatics. Accompanying education and mentoring programs support and foster the academic development and qualification of all UNITE fellows.
The training and education program of the school encompasses clinical & research training and career development activities within individualized curricula. All UNITE fellows:
- Pursue a 3-4-year interdisciplinary cancer research project mentored by UNITE research groups. The research projects focus on understanding brain tumor biology and overcoming resistance in primary brain tumors by applying high-throughput molecular profiling, radiomics, and bio-informatics.
- Are personally mentored by the work package leaders within a structured mentoring program.
- Are assessed in yearly reviews by the UNITE supervision committees.
- Are supported to submit abstracts and to attend at least 1 (inter)national neurooncology-focused conference per year. For this purpose, travel grants will be competitively granted by the UNITE school.
- Are encouraged to attend a defined number of educational events, i.e. neurooncology focused symposia, lectures on good scientific practice, clinical research and basic cancer biology as well as soft skill and career guidance seminars. An individualized training log will be worked out for all candidates.
Mentoring and Supervision
A dedicated UNITE mentoring and supervision program provides support for all fellows to pursue a career in translational cancer research. All fellows are personally supervised and mentored by their work package leaders.
The UNITE mentoring program is based on individual advice and support from the work package leaders. Mentoring meetings between the work package leaders and fellows are performed at least once a year. They provide a forum to address relevant issues and discuss future steps and career development opportunities. In addition, all fellows are encouraged to attend career guidance seminars to learn about various career options in both academic and industrial sectors.
Within the UNITE supervision program, all fellows are assessed in yearly reviews by the UNITE supervision committees. The committees consist of the work package leaders (mentor 1 and 2), one further UNITE principle investigator (mentor 3) and a PhD representative. The yearly reviews provide a platform to monitor and receive feedback about the progress of their research projects. In prepartation for the review meetings, fellows have to submit a written annual progress report. At the review meetings, fellows are asked to present their achievements of the last 12 months as well as aims and next steps. Mentor 1 will complete the annual UNITE Review Report to document the progress, indicated adjustments and advice.
Fellows
Abu Samour, Denis, M.SC
PhD Candidate
Hochschule Mannheim Center for Mass Spectrometry and Optical Spectroscopy Paul-Wittsack-Str. 10, 68163 Mannheim, Germany
ÇELIKYÜREKLI, SIMAY, M.SC
PhD Candidate
Hopp Children’s Cancer Center at NCT Heidelberg (KiTZ), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Ciamarone, Federica, M.SC
PhD Student
Translational Radiation Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Feldmann, Henrike, M.SC.
PhD Student
University Medicine Mannheim, Department of Neurology, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
FRESNAIS, MARGAUX, DR.
Postdoc
Heidelberg University Hospital, Internal Medicine IX – Department for Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology
Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
FURKEL, JENNIFER
Clinician Scientist
Heidelberg University Hospital & German Cancer Research Center, Division of Molecular and Translational Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT), Im Neuenheimer Feld 450, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Göttmann, Mona, M.Sc.
PhD Student
German Cancer Research Center, Junior Research Group Brain Tumor Translational Targets, Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Große, Nathalie M.SC.
PhD Candidate
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
Department of Neurooncology
Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Heidelberg University Hospital
GROGRO, ANTONIA, M.SC.
PhD Candidate
Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuropathology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Neuropathology Im Neuenheimer Feld 224, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
HAHN, MELISSA NAOMI, M.SC.
PhD Candidate
Clinical Cooperation Unit Neurooncology
Department of Neurology
Heidelberg University Hospital
HAUSMANN, DAVID, DR. MED.
Postdoc
University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Neurology
Im Neuenheimer Feld 400
69120 Heidelberg, Germany
HOFFMANN, DIRK, M.SC.
PhD Student
Heidelberg University Hospital, Department of Neurology, Clinical Cooperation Unit Neurooncology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
KÜBECK, OLIVER, M.SC.
PhD Candidate
PhD Student
University Hospital Heidelberg,
Department of Neurosurgery Division of Neurosurgical Research
Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Kües, Luisa Sophie
PhD Student
Department of Neurology
University Hospital Heidelberg
Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg
KMIECIK, SZYMON, PHD
Postdoc
Postdoc
Heidelberg University Hospital
Dept. of Clinical Pharmacology & Pharmacoepidemiology
Im Neuenheimer Feld 410
69120 Heidelberg, Germany
LOTSCH, CATHARINA, M.SC.
PhD Candidate
University Hospital Heidelberg Department of Neurosurgery Division of Neurosurgical Research Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
MEISTER, SARAH, M. SC.
PhD Student
German Cancer Research Center, Division of Molecular and Translational Radiation Oncology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
MILDENBERGER, IRIS, DR. MED.
Post Doc / Resident
Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Department of Neurology, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
ONG, ERINNE CHERISSE, M.SC.
PhD Candidate
Clinical Cooperation Unit Experimental Neurooncology
Department of Neurology
Heidelberg University Hospital
Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
OTONIČAR, JAN, M.SC
PhD Candidate
German Cancer Research Center Junior Research Group Genome Instability in Tumors Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
PARZER, LENA, M.SC.
PhD Candidate
Hopp Children’s Cancer Center at the NCT Heidelberg (KiTZ)
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
Division of Pediatric
Neurooncology, Preclinical modeling Group
Im Neuenheimer Feld 280
69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Phillips, Emma, Dr. rer. nat.
Post Doc
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
Junior Research Group Brain Tumor Translational Targets
Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Heidelberg University Hospital
POURKHALILI LANGEROUDI, ATEFEH, M.SC.
PhD Candidate
University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Neurology
Im Neuenheimer Feld 400
69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Rastogi, Aditya, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar
Section for Computational Neuroimaging
Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Heidelberg
Im Neuenheimer Feld 400
69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Reyhan, Ekin
PhD Candidate
University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Neurology
Im Neuenheimer Feld 400
69120 Heidelberg, Germany
SAMARAS, GEORGIOS
PhD Candidate
Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
Im Neuenheimer Feld 280
69120 Heidelberg
Germany
SANGHVI, KHWAB, M.SC.
PhD Candidate
Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuroimmunolgy and Brain Tumor Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg University, Mannheim Medical Faculty, Department of Neurology, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
SAYEERAM, DEEPAK M.SC.
PhD Candidate
Doctoral researcher
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Division of Metabolic Crosstalk in Cancer
Im Neuenheimer Feld 280
69120 Heidelberg, Germany
SCHOEBE, NATALIE, MPHIL
PhD Candidate
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuropathology,
Im Neuenheimer Feld 280 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
SINN, RALPH M.SC.
PhD Candidate
University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Neuroradiology
Im Neuenheimer Feld 350/400
69120 Heidelberg, Germany
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
Im Neuenheimer Feld 280
69120 Heidelberg, Germany
SUNDHEIMER, JULIA, M.SC.
PhD Candidate
Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ)
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
Division of Pediatric Neurooncology
Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Heidelberg University Hospital
Ulasau, Valiantsin
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Junior Group Bioinformatics and Omics Data Analytics, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
VLATKOVIC, TIJANA
PhD Candidate
Mannheim Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg,Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Translational Radiation Oncology, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany
von Soosten, Laura, M.Sc.
PhD Student
Hopp Children’s Cancer Center at the NCT Heidelberg (KiTZ), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division of Pediatric Glioma Research and Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, Preclinical modeling Group, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
WEYER VANESSA, VET. MED.
PhD Candidate
Mannheim Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg,Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Translational Radiation Oncology, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany
WÖLLNER, AMÉLIE, M.SC.
PhD Candidate
University Hospital Heidelberg, Division of Neurosurgical Research Department of Neurosurgery Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Xiujian, Ma, M.D. Student
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division of Molecular Neurogenetics ,Im Neuenheimer Feld 581, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany