Magdeburg medical student honoured for research into lung cancer
How can the defence mechanisms of lung cancer cells be broken through? This question is at the centre of the research of Janne Drews, an 11th semester medical student at the Faculty of Medicine at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. She has now been awarded the 2024Research Prize of the German Society for Thoracic Surgeryfor her research work . Her findings open up new perspectives in the treatment of lung cancer and contribute to the development of innovative therapeutic approaches. The prize is endowed with 1,000 euros and was awarded at the 33rd annual meeting of the society in Magdeburg.
Photo: Medical student Janne Drews from the University of Magdeburg receives the research prize of the German Society for Thoracic Surgery, presented by President Dr Ludger Hillejan (left) and Congress President Prof Thorsten Walles (right), Head of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at the University Clinic for Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery Magdeburg. Photographer: Sarah Kossmann
In her work, Drews is investigating the mechanisms by which lung cancer cells reprogramme healthy tissue cells in order to protect themselves from the immune system. These mechanisms are still poorly understood. And there are still no starting points for overcoming the defence mechanisms that have developed. Drews carried out her research as part of her doctorate in the ‘Experimental Thoracic Surgery’ working group under the supervision of Prof. Dr Thorsten Walles, Director of the University Clinic for Thoracic Surgery Magdeburg. In her research work, she was able to successfully simulate the reprogramming of connective tissue cells by lung cancer cells in the research laboratory. The basis for this were tissue models that have been developed and utilised by the working group for several years in cooperation with researchers from the ‘Core Facility Tissue Engineering’ at the University of Magdeburg.
This research provides the basis for investigating and understanding the mechanisms of tissue cell reprogramming. In addition, new active substances can be tested on the tissues developed by Drews to see whether they might be suitable as drugs against lung cancer.
Around 56,500 people are diagnosed with lung cancer in Germany every year. It is the second most common type of cancer in men and the third most common in women. Janne Drews' work could be an important step towards improving the treatment options for this serious disease. In order to be able to concentrate fully on her research, Drews has interrupted her studies for a year. She was supported by a scholarship from the Berufsverband Pneumologen Sachsen-Anhalt e.V. (Professional Association of Pneumologists Saxony-Anhalt).
Scientific contact person
Janne Drews, medical student at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, janne.drews@ovgu.de