News

Neuroblastoma: New combination method reliably detects hidden tumor cells (Vienna, 04.09.2025) – Hidden tumor cells in the bone marrow are one of the greatest challenges in treating neuroblastoma, one of the most common childhood cancers. St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute and international partner centers have achieved decisive progress in a new study: by combining three […]

Bridging to clinical translation: Professor Kaan Boztug honored for his research on personalized medicine approaches for inborn errors of immunity (Vienna, August 2025) Prof. Dr. med. Kaan Boztug has been awarded the prestigious Novartis Prize for Therapy-Relevant Immunological Research 2025. As a pediatrician and expert in rare diseases of the immune system and blood formation, Boztug

Research for Better Treatment of Childhood Cancer The Cancer Evolution and Genomics research group at ST. Anna CCRI, led by George Cresswell, investigates how childhood cancer develops and why some patients respond differently to treatments. The scientists analyze how genetic changes evolve in tumors and aim to identify new approaches for better treatments. The goal:

Networking as a natural consequence of outstanding research …with Florian Halbritter In modern science, collaboration is the key to innovation and breakthroughs, especially in complex research fields such as cancer genomics. Florian Halbritter, head of the “Developmental Cancer Genomics” research group at St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute, exemplifies the importance of this interdisciplinary collaboration

A Light Against Cancer A team of scientists at St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute (St. Anna CCRI) has developed a method to eliminate cancer cells with precision, without harming healthy tissue. Using a light-activatable compound called SBTubA4P, they successfully destroyed tumor cells in an animal model. This promising discovery could one day offer a

How collaboration drives innovation… with Florian Grebien Collaborations are essential in the world of science. In addition to the exchange of knowledge and technologies, they also offer valuable insights into different cultural and methodological approaches to research. This view is shared by Florian Grebien, Principal Investigator (PI) of the Biology of Pediatric Leukemia Oncoproteins research

Women in Science: Researchers Shaping the Future Science thrives on curiosity, perseverance, and the passion to better understand the world. Yet, for many women, the path to a career in research has not always been straightforward. Stereotypes, structural barriers, and a lack of role models still discourage some girls from considering a future in science.

Very Rare Subtype of Childhood Leukemia Characterized A team at the St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute (St. Anna CCRI) has headed an international collaborative study to characterize a very rare subtype of childhood B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The results, recently published in the journal Leukemia show that patients with this subtype need optimized therapy.

Epigenetics Brings Hope for New Therapies Epigenetics is a key area of pediatric cancer research. Scientists are investigating molecular drivers of tumors, hoping to discover new therapies through these approaches. St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute (St. Anna CCRI) has long focused on epigenetics and recently hosted a networking meeting on the topic. Adult tumors

Breakthrough in Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Research: Stem Cell Model Paves the Way for New Therapies (Vienna, 16 December 2024) Scientists at St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute (St. Anna CCRI) have achieved a milestone in the study of the rare and complex disease Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH). Using an innovative model based on induced pluripotent

‘Working together’ with Sabine Strehl In today’s biomedical research, interdisciplinary collaboration is essential. While leukemia is the most common childhood cancer, certain subtypes are extremely rare necessitating international studies for comprehensive data collection to understand their pathogenesis and prognostic relevance. Sabine Strehl’s research focuses on unraveling the genetic mechanisms behind leukemia development, emphasizing the importance

Genetic Defect in Secondary Immune Organs Causes Life-Threatening Infections in Children (Vienna, November 22, 2024) An international team led by Kaan Boztug, MD has identified a new form of a rare disease that affects secondary lymphoid organs, shedding light on the significance of these structures for the human immune system. The discovered genetic defect leads

Collaboration with Davide Seruggia In biomedicine, collaboration is more than a buzzword—it’s an essential component of advancing our understanding of complex diseases. As technology and scientific knowledge evolve, the scope of research has expanded to include numerous specialized fields, each bringing unique insights and tools. Consequently, biomedicine relies increasingly on interdisciplinary research groups, where scientists

How to Combat Fungal Infections in Immunocompromised Patients? (Vienna, 17. 10. 2024) A new study from the St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute (St. Anna CCRI) warns of the hidden dangers of invasive fungal infections in immunocompromised patients. The international research team, led by scientists Chantal Lucini, Klára Obrová, and Thomas Lion, has found that

ESCCA Conference 2024: Advancements in Clinical Cell Analysis Margarita Maurer-Granofszky, researcher of the Dworzak group, was invited to present her research at the ESCCA Conference 2024. In her presentations, she highlighted the importance of detecting minimal/measurable residual disease (MRD) in children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and how new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) can

Student Applies AI in Cancer Detection and supports St. Anna CCRI (Vienna, 21.08.2024) Alessandro Rodias, a student from the Sir Karl Popper School in Vienna has explored the potential of radiomics in cancer detection. Through his innovative project, he has demonstrated how artificial intelligence (AI) can be applied to analyze radiological images for improved cancer diagnosis.