FOR 5806:  Functional Genomics and Microbiomics in Precision Medicine of Colorectal Cancer (GenoMiCC)

• Subject Area: Medicine
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 537604907

Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents approximately 10% of all cancers and is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Genomic-based precision medicine has raised hopes of improved cancer survival rates by tailoring the treatment to the specific molecular alterations underlying this and other cancers. However, in translational trials using large-scale genomic sequencing, personalised treatments were identified for less than 20% of patients. This limited success highlights the need to integrate the complex, dynamic and heterogeneous genotypes and phenotypes of the cancer ecosystem. This ecosystem includes the recently described microbiota-gene-drug interface, which now opens new opportunities to target CRC. Through 8 scientific and 2 central projects, implemented by a highly gender-balanced group of PIs (including 6 junior PIs) that bring together the required wide array of expertise, the GenoMiCC research unit will address functional genomics and microbiomics in CRC, in order to identify new druggable and accessible targets for personalised therapy. Together, our team of basic and clinician scientists will extend existing cooperations to transfer novel findings into next generation precision medicine-based clinical trials.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• International Connection: Switzerland

Projects

• Combining synthetic biology and organ-on-a-chip technology to develop molecular and microbial co-treatment strategies for increased druggability and accessibility of key targets in CRC (Applicant Schubert, Antonia )
• Coordination Funds (Applicant Ebert, Matthias )
• Data Management, Integration and Analysis (Applicants Betge, Johannes ;  Zimmermann, Maria )
• Deciphering the impact of gut microbiome drug metabolism on therapy response in colorectal cancer (Applicants Zhan, Tianzuo ;  Zimmermann, Maria )
• Deciphering the role of microbial metabolites in modulating MAPK and Wnt signalling and treatment resistance in colorectal cancer (Applicants Boutros, Michael ;  Ebert, Matthias )
• Defining the role of the microbiome in cellular plasticity of colorectal cancer progression and therapy resistance (Applicant Jackstadt, Rene-Filip )
• Functional Microbiomics and Metabolomics Research (Applicant Zimmermann, Ph.D., Michael )
• Gut bacteria-derived metabolites as modulators of tumour intrinsic immunogenicity in colorectal cancer liver metastases (Applicants Rauber, Conrad ;  Roberti, Ph.D., Maria Paula )
• Impact of microbial metabolites on translational control in colorectal cancer therapy resistance (Applicants Betge, Johannes ;  Schott, Johanna )
• Microbial influences on colorectal cancer liver metastasis metabolism and therapy response (Applicants Hinze, Laura ;  Puschhof, Jens )
• Spatial and functional dissection of tumour-resident microbiota and their impact on therapy response in colorectal cancer (Applicant Burgermeister, Elke )

• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Matthias Ebert