09 September 2026

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most challenging forms of cancer. Its exceptionally high mortality drives countless hours of scientific work around the world dedicated to understanding its biology and, ultimately, finding ways to treat it. Yet, in the midst of this difficult pursuit, science can sometimes reveal something unexpectedly beautiful. This immunofluorescence image from a patient with PDAC shows neurons (green) forming an almost perfect heart within a cancer lesion (purple).

It is a beautiful reminder that science is not only about numbers, mechanisms, and discoveries. Sometimes, hidden within the complexity of disease, nature creates something that resembles a true work of art.

This image was captured by our master’s student Angelina Grankin in the context of her research on neural regulation of immune escape in PDAC.

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04 September 2026

From August 30 to September 2, the 74th International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA) took place in Reims, France. The congress brought together researchers from academia and industry to exchange ideas and discuss current developments in natural product research.

Vanessa Wiegand, PhD student in the Teusch Lab, had the opportunity to present her research on the bioactivity-guided isolation of antimycobacterial natural products from endophytic fungi, both as a poster and as a short talk during the Early Career Researchers Workshop (ECRW). Vanessa was ultimately honored with the Bionorica Award for her oral presentation. Scientific progress does not only depend on generating new knowledge, but also on building and maintaining the relationships that make this exchange possible. Conferences such as the annual GA meeting create a unique space for exactly that: meeting people, fostering existing connections, developing new collaborations and, ultimately, keeping the scientific community moving forward together.

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The DSO (Düsseldorf School of Oncology) is an academic training and networking program in research and clinical environments. The DSO Retreat 2026, held in Düsseldorf, functioned as a pivotal platform for profound scientific discourse and interchange within the School of Oncology. The retreat convened participants from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds, facilitating the presentation of current research, discussion of methodological advances, and reflection on emerging challenges in the field of oncology. In a focused and collaborative environment, the event facilitated open dialogue on ongoing projects and future directions in cancer research, thereby fostering interdisciplinary exchange and strengthening the oncology research community.

PhD student Katja Schiedlauske, from the Teusch working group, presented her work at the DSO Retreat 2026, contributing to the scientific program with insights from her current research on neuro–tumor interactions in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Her presentation highlighted functional studies investigating the role of Schwann cells and sensory neurons within perineural invasion, underscoring their active contribution to cancer cell invasiveness. These results contribute to a more profound understanding of neuron–tumor interactions in PDAC and underscore the importance of new approach methodologies (NAMs) for modelling complex tumor biology. The scientific discussions during the retreat provided valuable additional insight into current methodological approaches and emerging concepts in the field, further strengthening the interpretation and translational relevance of her findings. 

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