Review of the CATCH ALL & Beyond Retreat 2023

Recently, around 40 members of the clinical research group “CATCH ALL – Towards a Cure for Adults and Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)”, along with interested colleagues, gathered for a retreat under the theme “CATCH ALL & Beyond” at the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) in Kiel. The main objective of this internal workshop was to broaden perspectives beyond individual disciplines and foster deeper connections in anticipation of a potential second funding period.

The event featured distinguished external speakers such as Dr. Corinna Bang from IKMB Kiel, Prof. Malte Spielmann from UKSH Lübeck, and Prof. Elmar Wolf, the new Director of the biochemical Institute at CAU Kiel since early December, and also showcased numerous engaging contributions from CATCH ALL members. Their presentations on topics ranging from microbiome research in leukemia to single-cell transcriptomics and PROTACS, a potential new class of cancer medications, provided valuable stimuli for further discussions. Particularly noteworthy were the presentations from interested colleagues of the UKSH Kiel, spanning themes related to ALL, AML, and beyond.

A special highlight was the presence of a patient representative in the afternoon session of the event. As a clinical research group, CATCH ALL aims to facilitate research spanning from the bench to the bedside and back—a translational approach that continues to gain significance.

The CATCH ALL Retreat in Pictures: