Foundation supports cancer research in Würzburg

Since its establishment by the association “Hilfe im Kampf gegen Krebs” (Help in the Fight against Cancer), the “Forschung hilft” (Research Helps) Foundation has been committed to facilitating new discoveries in cancer medicine at Würzburg University Hospital (UKW). To this end, it raises funds and allocates them to promising research projects.

On 29 October 2026, around 200 guests gathered at the Maschinenhaus on the Bürgerbräu site in Würzburg for the awards ceremony. There, 23 research teams received grants totalling just under 242,000 euros.

Gabriele Nelkenstock, Chair of the Foundation’s Board, highlighted just how much this commitment has now amounted to: since its launch in 2017, “Forschung hilft” has awarded more than 1.4 million euros. Including the latest awards, 113 teams have been supported.

“This ongoing success is only possible thanks to the many people in our region who value the research carried out at the UKW and wish to further advance it through their continued willingness to donate,” said Gabriele Nelkenstock.

State Secretary paid tribute to the commitment

The awards ceremony was held under the patronage of Federal Minister for Research Dorothee Bär. Speaking on her behalf, Dr Silke Launert addressed the guests. The State Secretary paid tribute to the award-winning research and praised the foundation’s exemplary commitment “to solving one of humanity’s greatest challenges”.

Silke Launert made it clear: “In cancer research, there are no simple, isolated successes. Behind every advance lies collaboration: people who share knowledge, institutions that work with rather than against one another, funders who place their trust in the work, and scientists who are prepared to break new ground.”

Grants ranging from 5,000 to 20,000 euros

An independent external jury determines which projects receive support and the amount of each grant. The individual teams receive between 5,000 and 20,000 euros. Their work explores questions such as the following:

• How can the bacterial community in the mouth be used as a key to personalised immunotherapy for head and neck tumours?
• Could a drug that normally lowers cholesterol levels also prevent breast cancer from spreading through the lymph nodes in the body?
• What can be done to ensure that the body’s own genetically modified T-cells remain active for longer in the fight against malignant melanoma?
• How do hormones influence the effectiveness of immunotherapies?
• Why do some liver tumours not respond to transarterial chemoembolisation – also known as TACE therapy?
• Can protein patterns be detected in the blood that indicate liver and bile duct tumours years before diagnosis?
• Some of the award-winning projects aim to further explore the potential of artificial intelligence, for example in detecting skin metastases in photographs or as an aid to interpretation during colonoscopies.

Special Prize in Memory of Barbara Stamm

In addition to the 22 regular funding awards, the Foundation once again presented the Barbara Stamm Memorial Prize, established in 2023. The former President of the Bavarian State Parliament served as Honorary President of ‘Forschung hilft’ until her death in 2022.

The special prize, worth 5,000 euros and funded this year by the Caritas Foundation, is intended to recognise patient-centred research projects that focus on improving the quality of life of those affected.

The working group led by Professor Claudia Löffler from Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II was selected.

In her project ‘Being Touched – Returning to the Body after Cancer Surgery’, the Head of Complementary and Integrative Oncology will develop a structured aftercare programme together with Dr Michaela Arnold and nursing expert Kerstin Deubner. The aim is to help people who have undergone cancer surgery to become more aware of their bodies again, to alleviate pain and to regain confidence in their own bodies through targeted touch and simple exercises.

The laudatory address for the 2026 Barbara Stamm Memorial Prize was delivered by Bishop Franz Jung of Würzburg. He emphasised: “The AG Löffler project embodies much of what distinguished Barbara Stamm: looking closely, listening carefully, offering encouragement and accompanying people on their journey back to a self-determined life.”

Donations for the Centre for Patient and Family Support

The charity ‘Hilfe im Kampf gegen Krebs e.V.’ is planning a pioneering centre for patient and family support at the Rotkreuzhof in Würzburg-Oberdürrbach. The historic estate is set to combine temporary accommodation with psychosocial support services and opportunities for social interaction. Member of the Bundestag Dr Hülya Düber presented the project and pledged to support the centre with all her might.

The 21,000 euros collectively donated by the evening’s guests will also go towards realising the project. In addition, there was a single donation of just under 38,000 euros from Peter Scholz, Managing Director of Spotlight Musicals GmbH. A further 9,000 euros was raised through a spontaneous auction: for this sum, the three top chefs Markus Grein, Ralf Jakumeit and Stefan Marquard will jointly prepare an exclusive meal for up to ten people.

Further details online and at an exhibition

Anyone wishing to find out more about the award-winning scientific work can find an overview of the 23 funded projects online. The respective research objectives are explained there, and links to more detailed project descriptions are provided.

In addition, a poster exhibition will open on 4 November 2026 in the Upper Foyer of Würzburg Town Hall, offering insights into the research work. At the opening, from 2 pm to 6 pm, many UKW researchers will be on hand to answer questions about the current state of the research.

The exhibition ‘Research drives progress. Humanity creates security. The two go hand in hand’ runs until the end of November 2026. It is open Monday to Thursday from 8 am to 6 pm and on Fridays from 8 am to 1 pm.

Donation account

Those interested can support further cancer research projects in Würzburg by making a donation to the “Forschung hilft” foundation. The following account is available for this purpose:

Stiftergemeinschaft der Sparkasse Mainfranken
IBAN DE19 7905 0000 0000 0655 65

Web link

www.forschung-hilft.de Foundation