Hamburg’s outstanding research performance in the profile area of “Dissemination & Metastasis” (for more details see UCCH research page ) and the excellent scientific and cancer care network established through the University Cancer Center Hamburg (UCCH) provide a perfect structural and thematic basis for the Mildred Scheel Cancer Career Center Hamburg. The overarching translational vision focuses on understanding and overcoming the dissemination and metastasis process of cancer cells as the ultimate challenge in cancer treatment.

The early detection of tumor cell metastasis via blood-based liquid biopsy diagnostics and the elucidation of dormancy mechanisms in organs of metastasis are prominent scientific focus areas at the UCCH, which provide an excellent basis to work towards this vision through the comprehensive integration and career development of promising non-tenured scientists. Since research into the mechanisms of and eradication strategies for tumor metastasis requires close cooperation between scientists and clinicians from a broad range of disciplines, the MSNZ program is an ideal anchor point for facilitating such cooperation in a long-term structured manner and for offering advancing scientists at all stages a family-friendly, transparent and interprofessionally embedded career perspective in cancer research.