Erlangen radiation biology shines at the DEGRO congress in Dresden!

Erlangen radiation biology shines at the DEGRO congress in Dresden!

The Translational Radiation Biology department at the Erlangen Radiation Clinic took part in this year's annual congress of the German Society for Radiation Oncology. V. (DEGRO) in Dresden, which took place from June 19th to 21st, 2025, particularly stood out. The Erlangen delegation distinguished itself at the event through its extensive participation and diverse contributions. Under the direction of Prof. Dr. Udo Gaipl, who emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, the members of the radiation clinic presented not only a refresher lecture, but also 11 scientific lectures and 10 poster contributions. In addition, they served as chairs for 10 moderations, which demonstrates the group's versatility and high level of competence.

It is clear that translational approaches are very popular in radiation research. The active participation in various working groups, including the Experimental Radiation Oncology group and the young DEGRO group, shows the commitment of the Erlangen scientists to the further development of multimodal therapeutic approaches. These require close collaboration between different professional groups in order to achieve the best results for patients. A special focus was also on gaining competence in radiation research in order to promote new therapy concepts.

Public relations and modern approaches

In order to better communicate translational research projects and career opportunities, the Erlangen Radiation Clinic has taken new approaches to public relations. A new LinkedIn profile has been launched to provide insights into current research projects and events. In addition, an Instagram channel was created that is managed by medical doctoral students. This is intended to attract more people interested in radiation research and to increase visibility and understanding of this complex matter.

As part of the congress, numerous presentations took place that highlighted the committed work in radiation oncology. For example, Daniel Blasko from Erlangen gave a presentation on an exploratory needs analysis for an app to support grieving and palliative young people. Such innovative approaches are essential to finding new ways to improve the quality of life of cancer patients, as was the presentation by Pascal Bickenbach, which addressed quality of life after completing radiation therapy.

Collaboration between professional societies

The German Society for Biological Radiation Research (DeGBS) sustainably supports developments in this area. It is committed to promoting scientific research on ionizing and non-ionizing radiation and is a platform for exchange between experts from biology, chemistry, medicine and physics. A central concern of this society is to promote the training and further education of young scientists. Prizes and scholarships are also awarded to recognize and support the researchers' work.

In its last statements, the DeGBS also pointed out the challenges that could arise from the amendment to the Science Temporary Contract Act (WissZeitVG) and called for a differentiated consideration of the needs of different disciplines. This underlines the importance of stable employment opportunities for scientific staff in order to create long-term prospects in radiation research.

It remains exciting to see how developments in radiation research will continue to unfold and how committed scientists and professional societies will use their influence to advance progress in radiation oncology.