At the University Children’s Hospital Zurich (KISPI), some of Europe’s most dedicated doctors and researchers unite in the fight against childhood cancer, combining cutting-edge science with compassionate care.

A particular focus lies on brain tumors such as diffuse midline glioma (DMG/DIPG), among the most challenging in pediatric oncology. To address this, KISPI established a DIPG/DMG Center of Expertise and leads DMG-ACT (Diffuse Midline Glioma – Adaptive Combinatorial Therapy), an international initiative accelerating access to innovative treatments. Central to this research are drug screenings and advanced tumor cell cultures that help identify promising therapies and predict patient responses.

Program - TEDD Visit

• 09:30 - 10:00 Arrival, coffee and croissant
• 10:00 - 10:10 Welcome and introduction of TEDD Dr. Markus Rimann.
• 10:10 - 10:25 Welcome and introduction of KISPI Prof. Dr. med. Matthias Baumgartner Prof. Javad Nazarian.
• 10:25 - 10:50 Modelling drug response in pediatric diffuse midline glioma from multi-omics characterization. Prof. Sarah C. Brüningk.
• 10.50 - 11.00 Break
• 11.00 - 11.25 Engineering and controlling biohybrid and biomimetic microrobots for magnetically enhanced drug delivery. Prof. Simone Schürle-Finke.
• 11.25 - 11.45 Recapitulating the BBB in vitro to test drug penetration and efficacy. Dr. Mario M. Modena.
• 11.45 - 12.05 Ultrasound-Triggered Drug Release Dynamics for Neural Circuit Manipulation. Dr. Gizem Aydemir.
• 12.05 - 12.30 Closing Remarks, Q&A, Group Photo
• 12.30 - 13.30 Lunch
• 13.30 - 15.00 Tour of the KISPI Research building