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Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit

The MMPU is a joint venture between the Medical Faculty of the University of Heidelberg and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL).

JCF – Junior Career Fellowship

This Fellowship is awarded for a period of 6 or 12 months to support medical students with ambitions in particular in molecular medicine. Integrated into one of the eight MMPU groups, selected fellows will have the opportunity to conduct a challenging project for their MD thesis and to start networking with internationally renowned scientists and physicians.

See the open MD positions in MMPU labs

Our successful JCF awardees 2019 are:

Julian is an MD student at Heidelberg University working on RNA-chromatin interactions in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in the group of Carsten Müller-Tidow (Department of Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology).

The aim of his project is to create a genome-wide map of single snoRNA distribution in order to analyze so far unknown regulatory functions. This may lead to improved understanding of cancer pathogenesis, aging-related gene regulation as well as potentially contributing to the development of novel biomarkers and conceptual therapy advances to target cancer stem cells.

Tamara is an MD student at Heidelberg University working on pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) in the group of Andreas Kulozik (Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology and Pulmonology).

The aim of her project is to validate subclonal mutations in TP53 as a prognostic biomarker of fatal childhood T-ALL relapse. The validation of the prognostic value of TP53 may have substantial implications for the early identification of high-risk patients and for the development of future personalized and risk-adapted therapy.

Our successful JCF awardees 2018/2019 are:

Julius is an MD student at Heidelberg University working on chemoresistance and relapse in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in the group of Caroline Pabst (Heidelberg University Hospital, Internal Medicine, Department of Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology).

The aim of his project is to investigate interactions between AML and bone marrow niche cells. We will be identifying genes that play important roles in this relationship, that may contribute to immune evasion, and have potential as future therapeutic targets.

Lena is an MD student at Heidelberg University working on hereditery hemochromatosis in the group of Andreas Kulozik (Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology and Pulmonology).

The aim of her project is to investigate if germline mutations in PIGA cause a novel subtype of juvenile hemochromatosis.

Tania is an MD student at the University of Heidelberg working on single cell analysis for structural variations in the Molecular Pediatric Oncology group of Prof. Andreas Kulozik (Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology and Pulmonology).

The aim of her project is to detect DNA rearrangements, resolved by chromosomal haplotype, in single cells of cell lines and patient material.

Our successful JCF awardees 2018 are:

Tamara is an MD student at Heidelberg University working on pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) in the group of Andreas Kulozik (Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology and Pulmonology).

The aim of her project is to validate subclonal mutations in TP53 as a prognostic biomarker of fatal childhood T-ALL relapse. The validation of the prognostic value of TP53 may have substantial implications for the early identification of high-risk patients and for the development of future personalized and risk-adapted therapy.

Paul is an MD student at Heidelberg University working on top-down modulation of chronic pain in the the group of Rohini Kuner at the Institute of Pharmacology.

The aim of his project is to identify cholinergic circuits involved in the percept of pain and investigate their plasticity over pain chronicity.

Our successful JCF awardees 2017 are:

Nicole is an MD student at the University of Heidelberg working on iron refractory iron deficiency anemia (IRIDA) in the group of Martina Muckenthaler (Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology).

The aim of her project is to characterize the functional consequence of new mutations identified by exome sequencing that hallmark a novel form of IRIDA.

Christiane is an MD student at Heidelberg University studying pain caused by tumor-nerve interaction in the group of Rohini Kuner at the Institute of Pharmacology.

The aim of her project is to identify molecular mechanisms that mediate nerve invasion of cancer cells to investigate consequences for metastasis, prognosis and pain in patients suffering from ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas (PDAC). 

Our successful JCF awardees 2016 are:

Caroline is an MD student at the University of Heidelberg and works on pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) in the group of Andreas Kulozik (Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology and Pulmonology.)

The aim of her project is to identify mechanisms that drive progression of pediatric T-ALL to relapse using bioinformatics to investigate mutational spectra in early precursor leasons, primary tumor and relapsing disease upon treatment.

Carl Maximilian is an MD student at Heidelberg University working on the effects of Iron accumulation in tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) in the group of Martina Muckenthaler (Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology).

The aim of his project is to understand consequences of accumulated iron in TAMs and implications on cancer prognosis and progression.

Oscar is an MD student at Heidelberg University in the group of Rohini Kuner (Institute of Pharmacology) studying pain related neural networks.

The aim of his project is to couple molecular activity markers with the expression of DREADDs and optogenetic technology, in order to determine the identity and function of pain coding neurons in the prefrontal cortex.

Oscar is intergrated into the HBIGS program.

Our successful JCF awardees 2015 are:

Carolin is an MD student at the University of Heidelberg and works on expression changes of selected TRPV1 interacting molecules in chronic pain states in the group of Jan Siemens (Heidelberg University Medical Center, Pharmacology Institute).

The aim of her project is to elucidate the candidate’s role in TRPV1 modulation, an important prerequisite to identify new targets for pharmacotherapy in the pain pathway.

Florian is an MD student at the University of Heidelberg and works on the effect of oncogenes on chemokine signalling in collective cell migration in the group of Darren Gilmour (EMBL).

The aim of his project is to understand whether collectively migrating cancer cells reactivate the signalling mechanisms that normally allow collective motion during organ development.

Pia-Elena is an MD student at the University of Heidelberg and works on pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) in the group of Andreas Kulozik (Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology and Pulmonology.)

The aim of her project is to functionally analyse genes that influence the development of childhood T-ALL.

Pia-Elena is intergrated into the HBIGS program.

Our successful JCF awardees 2014/2015 are:

Nikolai is an MD student at Heidelberg University working on Hereditary Hemochromatosis in the group of Martina Muckenthaler (Children´s Hospital, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology).

The aim of his project is to reveal novel components of the hepatocytic iron-sensing complex scaffolded by the hemochromatosis-associated proteins HFE, TfR2 and HJV, upstream activators of the master iron-regulatory hormone hepcidin. This may shed light on new signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms involved in the control of systemic iron homeostasis.

Andreas is an MD student at Heidelberg University working on Iron Metabolism in the group of Martina Muckenthaler (Children´s Hospital, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology).

The aim of his project is to reveal novel pathways in the treatment of malaria and atherosclerosis by understanding the complex key role of iron metabolism during these pathological occurrences.

Andreas is an MD student at the University of Heidelberg and works in the groups of John Briggs (EMBL) and Hans-Georg Kräusslich (University Hospital Heidelberg) applying cryo-electron microscopy and cryo-tomography to study membrane proteins and protein/membrane interactions.

The aim of his project is to determine the structure of mechanosensitive channels and of other medically relevant membrane proteins.

Our successful JCF awardees 2014 are:

David is an MD student at the University of Heidelberg and works on pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) in the group of Andreas Kulozik (Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology and Pulmonology.)

The aim of his project is to find characteristic genetic lesions that contribute to leukemogenesis and to investigate the influence of their pathways on the development of malignancy.
David is integrated into the HBIGS program.

Stephan Stephan is an MD student at Heidelberg University and works on cystic fibrosis in the group of Marcus Mall (Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg / Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology and Pulmonology).

The aim of his project is to a elucidate the molecular pathways involved in the activation and pharmacological regulation of SLC26A9, a recently identified epithelial chloride channel in the lung that might serve as a novel molecular target in cystic fibrosis and other chronic obstructive lung diseases.

Stephan is integrated into the HBIGS program.

Maximilian is an MD student at Heidelberg University and works on cancer epigenetics in the group of Magnus von Knebel Doeberitz (Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Institute of Pathology).

The aim of his project is to reverse specific methylation patterns in HPV-triggered carcinoma cells that are linked to tumor initiation, progression and immune evasion.
Maximilian is integrated into the HBIGS program.

Our successful JCF awardees 2013 are:

Juliane is an MD student at Heidelberg University and works on pediatric T-ALL ( T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia) in the group of Andreas Kulozik (Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology and Pulmonology). The aim of her project is to understand the pathways involved in leukemogenesis and to find prognostic markers for childhood T-ALL.

Juliane is integrated into the HBIGS program.

Aenne is an MD student at Heidelberg University and works on myocardial infarction. She joined the group of Heiko Runz (Institute of Human Genetics) in spring 2013 for her MD-thesis and uses cell-based assays to characterize rare coding genetic variants for their possible influence on blood lipid levels and the risk of cholesterol-associated cardiovascular diseases.

Aenne is integrated into the HBIGS program.

Varun is an MD student at Heidelberg University in the group of Rohini Kuner (Institute of Pharmacology) and the aim of his project is to find new mechanisms of cancer-nerve-interaction in the context of perineural invasion in pain associated with pancreatic cancer.

He wants to elucidate these mechanisms with the help of in-vitro and in-vivo models of perineural invasion as well as human biopsies from pancreatic cancer. To investigate the ultrastructure of perineural invasion he makes use of correlative light- and electron- microscopy (3D-SEM, confocal microscopy and 3D-STORM).

Varun is integrated into the HBIGS program.

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