Dr. Stefanie Schwinn Awarded Top Thesis Award

Dr. Stefanie Schwinn, who specialized in her experimental medical thesis in Group 3 Medulloblastoma, was honored with the prestigious Klug & Sichler Doctoral Prize in Cancer Research by the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Würzburg on Monday at this year’s Dies Academicus.

As a dedicated doctoral candidate under the mentorship of Prof. Matthias Wölfl at the University Children’s Hospital and Prof. Andreas Beilhack at the Department of Medicine II, Dr. Schwinn embarked on extensive research to explore innovative treatment options for the highly aggressive subgroup of pediatric brain tumors known as Molecular Subgroup 3 Medulloblastoma. Her groundbreaking work led to the discovery of a highly effective treatment combination – Gemcitabine, a cytostatic agent, along with Axitinib, a VEGF receptor inhibitor – against Medulloblastoma cells. To closely mimic patient conditions, she conducted her experiments with exceptional skill and dedication on a demanding mouse model, employing advanced techniques such as light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM).

The results unveiled that Dr. Schwinn’s chosen treatment option was not only at least as effective as the standard therapy but also better tolerated. Her pioneering research was published as the lead author in the journal Scientific Reports. Additionally, Dr. Schwinn contributed as a co-author to eight more scientific publications in the field of experimental oncology.

Dr. Stefanie Schwinn’s exceptional work has made a significant contribution to the development of potential therapy approaches for children with this highly aggressive brain tumor. Her findings now provide a solid foundation for clinical research and hold the potential to enhance treatment options for this patient group.