EUR 3 million for UKE's cancer medicine through Deutsche Krebshilfe

16 July 2021

University Cancer Center Hamburg (UCCH) among "Top Oncology Centres"

The German Cancer Aid (Deutsche Krebshilfe) has named the University Cancer Center Hamburg (UCCH) at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) an Oncological Centre of Excellence and awarded it EUR 3 million. A north German competence network for cancer research and medicine is to be formed with university hospitals in Kiel and Lübeck during the new funding period through 2025. Germany has 14 centres of excellence in oncology, which are selected by the German Cancer Aid and international experts. UCCH first received the award in 2009.

Collaboration with university hospitals in north

"The renewed designation as a top German centre is a recognition of our constant work for innovative, first-class cancer care for our patients," said Prof. Dr. Carsten Bokemeyer, Director of UCCH. The co-operation with hospitals in Kiel and Lübeck will expand the top centre character. "We want to be able to offer all our patients in north Germany a high-quality service through the supra-regional networking of excellent research and first-class clinical care," he added.

UCCH's supra-regional commitment

The UCCH consists of UKE departments and institutions involved in cancer medicine and research, as well as 21 regional clinics, 20 oncology practices and several research institutions in the Hamburg Metropolitan region. The Oncological Centre of Excellence award allows UCCH to strengthen its cancer research beyond Hamburg and to focus even closer on patients' needs, said Dr. Burkhard Göke, Medical Director and CEO of UKE. According to the German Cancer Aid, the quality of cancer research, treatment, the number of co-operations and clinical studies are among the criteria assessed for designation as Oncological Centre of Excellence.

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