Pioneer clinical studies on the role of angiogenesis and angiogenic factors as well as of the hypoxia inducible factors and metabolism pathways (LDH, CA9, PDHK) on the tumor response to radiotherapy have been conducted by the Tumour and Angiogenesis Research Group. The concept of angiogenic tumor regrowth after an almost complete tumor response has been postulated  to explain subsequent relapse. The HIFs and downstream metbolism enzymes like LDH5 have been shown to define resistance of HNC to radiotherapy. Their role in repsonce of prostate and bladder tumors to radiotherapy is currently under evaluation.

    Our group recently focused on autophagy and lysosomes as putative regulators of raidation cell death. Dysregulation of the autophagic flux has been shown in mouse normal tissues and we continuou with  studies to investigate lysosomal biogenesis and its role in normal tissue radiation  toxicity and cancer death.