Research of the Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM) aims to characterize molecular mechanisms underlying human diseases with a specific focus on cancer. The main goals of these studies are the characterization of cancer initiation and progression as well as the pre-clinical development of novel concepts in cancer therapy.
An overview of research topics you can find in the research groups Molecular Cell Biology (Prof. Stefan Hüttelmaier), Pathobiochemistry (Prof. Mechthild Hatzfeld) and Tumor Biology (Prof. Stephan Feller).
The research group Molecular Cell Biology characterizes RNA-guided mechanisms controlling gene expression in cancer. These studies center on RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) as well as non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as microRNAs (miRNAs, miRs). The main goals of our research are to identify and characterize mechanisms of post-transcriptional control of gene expression by RBPs and ncRNAs. This sets the stage to explore, evaluate and progress (1) new biomarkers for tumor diagnostics, (2) therapeutic targets, as well as (3) novel therapeutic concepts for targeted cancer therapy based on small molecule drugs for the inhibition of oncoRBPs and circular RNAs serving as decoys for oncomiRs.
Central topic of the research group Pathobiochemistry is the communication between neighboring cells via cell-cell contacts. These include desmosomes and adherens junctions and are involved in the regulation of proliferation and contact inhibition. Disturbances in these processes lead to wound healing disorders and are involved in carcinogenesis.
The research group Tumor Biology conducts basic research in the field of gastrointestinal and oral carcinomas with a particular focus on molecular analyses of oncogenic signal transduction.