CATCH ALL Winter School Kicks Off Second Funding Phase in Eutin

Researchers of the clinical research unit CATCH ALL recently met for two days in Eutin for the CATCH ALL Winter School, which was the starting point for the second funding period. Supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) through 2030, CATCH ALL continues to bring together clinicians and scientists with one clear goal: to improve treatment for children and adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

All projects presented their latest results and strategic outlooks for the next funding period with room for in-depth discussions and new ideas. The Winter School also benefited from excellent guest speakers. Iñaki Martín-Subero from Barcelona, Jeanette Leusen from Utrecht, and Maik Luu from Würzburg brought in important perspectives from outside the consortium. Their excellent talks initiated lively discussions and opened up new ways of thinking about ongoing and future projects.

In the second funding period, researchers of CATCH ALL will intensify their efforts to develop molecularly guided, age-adapted therapeutic approaches and translate them into clinical practice. This requires a comprehensive understanding of ALL biology in the context of the immune microenvironment and the clinical manifestation of the disease. Seven tightly interacting projects, supported by two central platform projects, will address these goals by coordinating large-scale bioinformatic analyses and facilitating clinical implementation within the established nationwide CATCH ALL Board.

CATCH ALL now moves into this next phase with a lot of energy and motivation. The meeting in Eutin made clear how much strength lies in the collaboration across disciplines and career stages. With a shared vision and many concrete ideas, our group is well prepared for the coming years of research together.