Searching for new strategies against prostate cancer

The European Research Council (ERC) has announced that Roland Schüle, Scientific Director at the Department of Urology, University of Freiburg Medical Centre has been awarded an ERC Advanced Grant.

Professor Schüle will receive €2.5 million for a period of 5 years for his research proposal to identify and characterize the molecular and physiological functions of the epigenetic enzyme LSD1 and to explore its role in prostate cancer.

“I am absolutely delighted to receive this significant research award” says Roland Schüle. “This is an acknowledgement of both, the quality of the research proposal as well as a recognition of the excellent science which my team has generated over the last years.” The proposed research will explore the role of the epigenetic regulator lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1).

LSD1 is an enzyme that has been identified by the Schüle lab as a histone demethylase with important functions in the onset and proliferation of prostate cancer. “This 5-year funding will allow us to establish the molecular functions of LSD1 by using disease models and high-throughput genomic approaches. This may lead to novel therapeutic and diagnostic concepts for prostate cancer.”

The ERC Advanced Grant complements the recently established Collaborative Research Centre Medical Epigenetics (CRC MEDEP), a consortium of about 20 Freiburg-based investigators who determine the potential of epigenetics in medical applications. Roland Schüle is also coordinator of the CRC MEDEP.

The ERC Advanced grant is one of the most prestigious research grants awarded to individual scientists within Europe. The grant is awarded to excellent researchers who already have a track record of significant research achievements and who have worked for at least ten years successfully at the highest international level. The evaluation process takes into consideration the scientific achievements of the applicant as well as the specific research project submitted. The grants are awarded based entirely on the scientific quality of the applications.

Contact:
Prof. Dr. Roland Schüle
Scientific Director Department of Urology
University of Freiburg Medical Center
Department of Urology/Women's Hospital and Center for Clinical Rese-arch
Phone: +49-761-270-6310
Fax: +49-761-270-6311
roland.schuele@uniklinik-freiburg.de