Oncology: EUR 40,000 in Funding for the MeDDrive tandem research project on Gastric Carcinomas by Anne-Marlen Ada and Therese Seidlitz

Gastric cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer worldwide. For their project "Investigation of potential novel biomarker for the prediction and therapy of lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer", young scientists Dr. Anne-Marlen Ada (Medical Clinic I / Clinic and Polyclinic for Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery) and Dr. Therese Seidlitz (VTG, Surgical Research Laboratory) have now received MeDDrive Tandem funding of EUR 40,000.

With the MeDDrive tandem funding, the University Medicine Foundation and the Faculty of Medicine support post-doctoral researchers from the clinical and experimental School who want to make an innovative contribution to oncological research in Dresden. Out of all submitted proposals, the project by Dr. Anne-Marlen Ada and Dr. Therese Seidlitz was selected for the 2025/26 funding period. Their shared goal is to identify potential biomarkers for lymph node metastases in gastric cancer and, based on this, to develop new therapeutic strategies.

“Due to the absence of early symptoms, gastric cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, by which time many patients already have lymph node metastases. This generally results in a poorer prognosis,” explain the scientists. For new therapeutic approaches, the Ada/Seidlitz duo plans to characterize tumor organoids from gastric carcinomas and associated lymph node metastases — analyzing both their mutation and expression profiles and their therapeutic response through a medium-scale drug screening. The aim is to identify potential vulnerabilities between primary tumors and metastases that could serve as therapeutic targets.

The focus of Therese Seidlitz's research work is on further laboratory tests of lymphatic fluids to identify potential biomarkers. Anne-Marlen Ada's medical expertise will help to determine the direction of the core research areas with regard to lymphatic dissemination. The data obtained as part of the project will be published and serve as the basis for a further application for third-party funding.

"We greatly value each other's expertise and would like to work together in the long term. This tandem funding enables us to bridge the gap between basic research and clinical application," say the scientists, delighted with the funding. The support from MeDDrive also brings them a big step closer to their personal goals of completing their habilitation and setting up their own laboratories.

"We wish Dr. Anne-Marlen-Ada and Dr. Therese Seifert every success with their project," congratulates Dr. Andreas Sperl, Chairman of the University Medicine Foundation. "Dr. Ada in particular shows that the continuous promotion of early-career researchers in university medicine pays off. She was already a member of the doctoral college as a medical student."

"Thanks to the funding from the MeDDrive-Tandem program, two young female scientists can be supported in their research work and scientific careers. The Faculty of Medicine would like to thank the University Medicine Foundation for this important contribution, which strengthens the attractiveness of Dresden University Medicine beyond the other funding programs," adds Dr. Esther Troost, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at TU Dresden.

Background:
The MeDDrive tandem research project in oncology is aimed at early-career researchers in the clinical and experimental fields who want to make a contribution to oncological research in Dresden with a joint, translational project. The research tandem consists of a medical scientist (experimental scientist) and a clinician scientist (research-active clinician) whose work is geared towards a common goal and thus complement and reinforce each other. During the project period, the tandems work together on the questions formulated in the application and are equally responsible for the implementation and success of the submitted project proposal. The current project funding of EUR 40,000 has a duration of two years.

Contact:
Prof. Dr. Andreas Deussen
Foundation for the Promotion of University Medicine in Dresden

Anne-Stephanie Vetter
Staff Unit Public Relations Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine
of the TUD Dresden University of Technology
+49 (0) 351 458 17903
anne-stephanie.vetter@tu-dresden.de
www.tu-dresden.de/med