Mission and Goals
Data science and AI for cancer research
The Institute for Computational Cancer Biology (ICCB) at the University Hospital Cologne was founded in 2022 to advance cancer research through computational methods and to train and educate the next generation of computational cancer scientists.
We are part of the Cancer Research Center Cologne Essen (CCCE) funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Our mission is to develop bespoke statistical methods, machine learning approaches, algorithms and models to decipher tumour heterogeneity and cancer evolution and improve our understanding of the wealth of genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic and imaging data collected in cancer research.
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About us
News
July 05, 2024
Symposium "Artificial Intelligence for Human Cancer Medicine"
The Schwarz and Lehmann Labs highlighted their work and the role of AI in cancer research at the symposium ”Artificial Intelligence for Human Cancer Medicine" with Minister-President Hendrik Wüst MdL and NRW Minister of Science Ina Brandes.
Together with scientists from the Cancer Research Center Cologne Essen (CCCE) Brandes discussed how the NRW AI strategy could improve cancer patient care.
For more information see the news link of University Hospital Essen (German only): Symposium „Künstliche Intelligenz für eine menschliche Krebsmedizin“
January 21, 2025
Oncogene paper on DNA methylation heterogeneity and epipolymorphism in kidney cancer
Recently, our insights in the (epi-)genetic heterogeneity of clear cell renal cell carcinoma were published in Oncogene. Together with our partners Sabrina Rossi and Charlie Massie from Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre we characterized 136 multi-region tumors and normal tissue from 18 ccRCC patients.
Our study revealed a differential epipolymorphism between ccRCC and normal kidney tissue. In addition we found an impact of differential epipolymorphism in gene promoters being an independent predictor of associated gene expression.
Using the cell-type specific patterns of DNA methylation to deconvolute the data we could identify a latent methylation component likely representing tumor infiltrating T-cells. Levels of this component were higher in tumours with positive predictive parameters.
Research Spotlights
Schwarz Lab - Cologne/Berlin
Cancer Genomics and Evolution
Algorithms for inferring and simulating cancer evolution and for understanding tumour heterogeneity, with a special focus on chromosomal instability and somatic copy-number alterations.
Lehmann Lab - Aachen
Molecular Signatures and Data Integration
Approaches that support the molecular characterisation of patient cohorts and reveal disease mechanisms through integration of diverse types of molecular data.
Sponsors and Partners
Funder
University Hospital and University of Cologne
Funder
Cancer Research Center Cologne Essen (CCCE)
funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Strategic partner
Berlin Institute for the Foundations of Learning and Data (BIFOLD)
funded by the German Ministry for Research and Education (BMBF).
