Walter Berger, Group Leader
E-Mail: Walter.Berger [at] meduniwien [dot] ac [dot] at
Phone: +43 (0)1 40160 - 57555
Fax: +43 (0)1 40160 - 957555
Research Focus:
By far the majority of cancer deaths are caused by disseminated solid tumors exhibiting therapy resistance. Consequently, our translational and multidisciplinary cooperation projects focus on the development of novel therapeutic strategies in highly therapy-refractory cancers including lung cancer, mesothelioma, brain tumors and melanoma.
Thereby we aim on the:
- identification of genetic and molecular factors driving solid tumor aggressiveness and therapy resistance thus representing potential targets for therapeutic interventions;
- development of novel anticancer agents and drug combinations allowing to avoid therapy failure and resistance development.
Financial support: Austrian Science Fund (Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, FWF): P19920, P17630, L212, L568, P22072
GENAU, (PLACEBO with CEMM), FFG, EU/COST (CM1105-MC), OEAD with Ukraine (National Academy of Science) and Hungary (Koranyi Institut), Herzfelder'sche Familienstiftung, Jubiläumsfonds der Österreichischen Nationalbank, Hochschuljubiläumsstiftung der Stadt Wien, Initiative Krebsforschung, Fonds des Bürgermeisters der Bundeshauptstadt Wien, Oberösterrreichische Krebshilfe, Pharmaceutical Companies
Group Members
Selected Publications:
Prognostic quality of activating TERT promoter mutations in glioblastoma: interaction with the rs2853669 polymorphism and patient age at diagnosis.
Spiegl-Kreinecker S, Lötsch D, Ghanim B, Pirker C, Mohr T, Laaber M, Weis S, Olschowski A, Webersinke G, Pichler J, Berger W.; Neuro Oncol. 2015 Feb 13.
Calpain-mediated integrin deregulation as novel mode of action for the anticancer gallium compound KP46.
Jungwirth U, Gojo J, Tuder T, Walko G, Holcmann M, Schöfl T, Nowikovsky K, Wilfinger N, Schoonhoven S, Kowol CR, Lemmens-Gruber R, Heffeter P, Keppler BK, Berger W., Mol Cancer Ther. 2014 Jul 31
Major vault protein supports glioblastoma survival and migration by upregulating the EGFR/PI3K signalling axis.
Lötsch D, Steiner E, Holzmann K, Spiegl-Kreinecker S, Pirker C, Hlavaty J, Petznek H, Hegedus B, Garay T, Mohr T, Sommergruber W, Grusch M, Berger W., Oncotarget. 2013 Nov; 4(11):1904-18
Trabectedin has promising antineoplastic activity in high-grade meningioma.
Preusser M, Spiegl-Kreinecker S, Lötsch D, Wöhrer A, Schmook M, Dieckmann K, Saringer W, Marosi C, Berger W., Cancer. 2012 Oct 15; 118(20):5038-49
Pretreatment serum C-reactive protein levels predict benefit from multimodality treatment including radical surgery in malignant pleural mesothelioma: a retrospective multicenter analysis.
Ghanim B, Hoda MA, Winter MP, Klikovits T, Alimohammadi A, Hegedus B, Dome B, Grusch M, Arns M, Schenk P, Pohl W, Zielinski C, Filipits M, Klepetko W, Berger W., Ann Surg. 2012 Aug; 256(2):357-62