To path indicator Subpages of “Studies“ To navigation by target groups To navigation by topic To quick access To footer with other services
To content
lecture hall with a lot of students © Jürgen Huhn​/​TU Dortmund
AI-DRIVEN CANCER RESEARCH

TU Dortmund University is Participating in the AI4CancerCure.NRW Network

-
in
  • Top News
  • Research
Photo: Project representatives pose together with the grant award letter in front of the flags of Europe, Germany, and North Rhine-Westphalia. © Tim Brümmendorf
Representing TU Dortmund University at the kickoff event in Düsseldorf were Prof. Gerhard Schembecker (left), Vice President Finance and Transfer, Prof. Stefan M. Kast (second from right), project coordinator for TU Dortmund University and Dean of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology; and President Prof. Manfred Bayer (right). Prof. Michael Hallek (second from the left) from the University of Cologne is the consortium coordinator.
In the fight against cancer, a widespread disease, the regional government of North Rhine-Westphalia is providing €200 million from the “North Rhine-Westphalia Plan for Good Infrastructure” for the new research cluster AI4CancerCure.NRW. Seven university hospitals in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and TU Dortmund University will bundle their expertise in oncology, drug design and artificial intelligence (AI) in this cluster to work together more effectively on the development of innovative cancer therapies as well as new prevention strategies and early detection methods. Researchers specializing in AI and drug discovery are participating in the project on the part of TU Dortmund University.

At the project’s launch event on 4 September in Düsseldorf, Hendrik Wüst, Minister-President of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, said: “NRW is a hotspot for AI-driven cancer research. More and more people can be cured thanks to cutting-edge research and innovative therapies from our region. With the ‘North Rhine-Westphalia Plan for Good Infrastructure’, we are also laying the groundwork that will enable us to boost innovation and expand next-generation technologies even more. Over €2 billion are going directly to higher education, university medicine and research so that experts can work even more efficiently on solutions for tomorrow. In the shape of AI4Cancer-Cure.NRW, we are establishing a major network of excellence in cancer medicine across North Rhine-Westphalia and dovetailing cancer research even closer with top-class AI research. In this way, we are moving, step by step, ever nearer to our goal of defeating cancer, which is a widespread disease.”

Photo: Project representatives pose together with the grant award letter in front of the flags of Europe, Germany, and North Rhine-Westphalia.
Minister-President Hendrik Wüst (7th from left) and Minister of Science Ina Brandes (8th from right) presented the grant award notification to Prof. Michael Hallek (center) of the University of Cologne. Numerous project participants gathered in Düsseldorf for the kickoff event, including Prof. Stefan M. Kast (left) of TU Dortmund University.

Ina Brandes, Minister for Science and Culture of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, added: “With AI4CancerCure.NRW, we are creating a secure data space and, through the use of AI, systematically interlinking cancer biology, data-driven drug design, imaging- and data-based diagnostics, and the rapid development of medical products. The result is tangible benefits for patients. It will be possible to detect cancer earlier, forecast disease progression more precisely and provide personalized treatment with far fewer side effects. In addition, patients will be consistently involved in the research process on the structural level – because successful cancer research can only be achieved hand in hand with those affected.”

New active substances and personalized prevention

New drugs and the continuous advancement of cancer prevention are among the most important challenges facing modern medicine. Apart from facilitating personalized prevention and early detection, AI and data-driven methods can significantly accelerate the identification, development and clinical testing of new active substances. To this end, AI4CancerCure.NRW will bundle existing expertise in oncology, artificial intelligence, drug development, imaging, data science and clinical research.

Researchers at TU Dortmund University will contribute their expertise in AI and drug discovery, working especially in the following areas: AI-supportedthe development and optimization of small molecules as drug precursors, their chemical and biological characterization and property prediction, synthesis, and process development, including lab automation. “Thanks to close networking within AI4CancerCure.NRW, it will be possible to integrate primary clinical data directly into drug design,” says Professor Stefan M. Kast, project coordinator for TU Dortmund University at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. €25 million have been allocated to TU Dortmund University, which it has earmarked for computer and lab infrastructure, for example.

Participating in the consortium alongside TU Dortmund University are the university hospitals in Aachen, Bochum, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Essen, Cologne (speaker university) and Münster. The purpose of the “North Rhine-Westphalia Plan for Good Infrastructure”, from which a total of €2.3 billion are available for higher education, university medicine and research, is to finance investments in the major issues of tomorrow. It should also strengthen and advance North Rhine-Westphalia as a hub for research and science in the long term.

Contact for queries:

Back