SAKK Awards 2024

The prize goes to researchers Dr. Elena Diana Chiru and PD Dr. Marcus Vetter from the Cantonal Hospital Baselland in Liestal. They want to use artificial intelligence (AI) to collect further clinical and pathological data from their patients and incorporate it into diagnostics. The Ataraxis AI model they are investigating could overcome the limitations of the Oncotype DX genetic testing method used to date.

From left: Thomas Birchler, Miklos Pless, Elena Diana Chiru, Christian Knapp

The award goes to Dr. Anke Katharina Augspach and her colleagues from the University of Bern. They have developed a new approach to the treatment of prostate cancer. They were able to show that therapy-resistant prostate cancer cells survived less well when the minor splicing mechanism was inhibited by a so-called siRNA.

From left: Richard Cathomas, Anke Augspach, Stephanie Saul

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is used for a wide range of hematologic diseases. The most common non-infectious complication is graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Currently, immunosuppressants are used for GvHD prophylaxis, but these can also inhibit the antitumor effect of allo-HSCT.

Researcher PD Dr. Chiara Bernardi from Geneva University Hospital (HUG) and her team would therefore like to develop a new cell therapy based on regulatory T cells (Treg).

From left: Gabriela Baerlocher, Chiara Bernardi, Maryna Levikova

The increased involvement of patients promises benefits for oncological research and drug development, for example in the evaluation of new treatment methods. As part of joint SAKK and IOSI activities in this area, Dr. med. Marco Cefalì from the Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC) organizes workshops that give healthcare staff in oncology and haematology an understanding of the points worth noting in patient involvement. (Represented by Prof. Cristina Sessa)

From left: Richard Cathomas, Cristiana Sessa, Philip Becker

The reintegration of cancer patients into work and social life is an important issue. To support patients, Dr. Kristin Zeidler-Knoblauch has therefore established an outpatient oncology rehabilitation program at the four hospitals of the LUKS Group. The aim is to improve educational content, increase adherence among participants through motivational training and provide answers to frequently asked questions in the form of a video.

From left: Milica Zecevic, Miklos Pless, Kristin Zeidler-Knoblauch, Astrid Marti

Men with prostate cancer are currently treated palliatively with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) by means of surgical or medical castration. The lack of testosterone causes unpleasant side effects and the treatment can often only moderately extend the survival time of those affected. The project of Prof. Dr. med. Christian Fankhauser from the Lucerne Cantonal Hospital is pursuing the opposite direction. In the ISOTONIC trial, he and his team want to investigate the effectiveness of a high dose of testosterone in combination with another drug against prostate cancer. The trick: the two drugs cancel out an important side effect.

From left: Miklos Pless, Christian Fankhauser, Hans Rudolf Keller