Why does cancer become resistant to treatment?
By uncovering these evolutionary dynamics, our team of molecular biologists, biotechnicians and medical scientists at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Charité Universitätsmedizin Hospital Berlin, strives to develop smarter, more durable treatment strategies that can be translated into clinical care.
Cancer evolution in the clinic
Cancer is not a static disease. It evolves. Much like animals in nature, cancer cells are shaped by selective pressures. These include immune responses, limited access to nutrients or oxygen, and, critically, therapeutic interventions. These challenges select for cells with traits that promote survival and adaptation.
Cancer evolution refers to the dynamic changes cancer cells undergo over time, driving disease progression and treatment resistance. Understanding this evolutionary process is key to anticipating cancer’s next move and staying one step ahead in the clinic.
Our mission
Most studies on cancer evolution rely on archived tissue, offering only a retrospective view. Our mission is to bring evolutionary medicine into the clinic by studying cancer progression in real time. By monitoring how tumors adapt under treatment, we aim to identify vulnerabilities like fitness costs and minimal residual disease.
To address the critical gap in understanding relapsed and late-stage cancers—especially in colorectal and pediatric tumors—we use patient-derived organoids (PDOs) as powerful, patient-near models to track tumor evolution and treatment resistance.
The clinical cancer evolution lab.
We are a team of molecular biologists, biotechnicians, and medical scientists based at the Department of Pediatric Surgery in the Charité Universitätsmedizin hospital, Berlin. Together, we investigate the mechanisms behind cancer treatment resistance, with a focus on how tumors evolve and adapt over time. By uncovering these evolutionary dynamics, we aim to develop more effective, durable therapy strategies that can be translated into clinical care.
Projects overview
Patient-Derived 3D Tumoroid Platforms
Evolutionary medicine in the clinic
Resistence/ Plasticity
