Comprehensive oncology research route: from immunology basic research to clinical real world studies and medical education in outpatient oncology

Milani, Valeria (2026): Comprehensive oncology research route: from immunology basic research to clinical real world studies and medical education in outpatient oncology. Habilitationsschrift, LMU München: Medizinische Fakultät

Abstract

This project recapitulates my research route in oncology. Structured in three pillars it reflects my evolution from basic scientist to clinician-educator: 1. Basic Research on hyperthermia’s dual role in chemo/radiosensitization and immune activation via heat shock proteins. 2. Clinical Translation in outpatient-focused studies, including real-world NGS analysis, scalp cooling and the CAMPA nursing initiative. 3. Education with the LMU’s first outpatient hemato-oncology curriculum, enhancing student engagement and fostering mentorship. In the first part on basic and translational research, I summarize the pleiotropic effects that heat exposure has on tumor cells and on anticancer therapies. I describe the rationale for the application of clinical hyperthermia in the therapy of cancer based on the direct cytotoxic effect of heat and the radio-chemosensitization of tumor cells in two different cancer entities and models. Furthermore I focus on the effects of heat on the antigen presentation of tumor cells and their susceptibility to immune effector mechanisms. I describe the mechanism of antigenicity and immunogenicity mediated by the heat shock proteins, in particular HSP-70 (heat shock protein 70), in the adaptive and innate immune system in an vitro-model and in an experimental clinical model. The second part is dedicated to clinical and real world research. Here I focus on a variety of aspects of the daily practice in an outpatient setting that reflects the current health care system in Germany. Modern diagnostic methods like next generation sequencing are available and accessible to all institutions as well as cancer care devices like scalp cooling systems. I contributed to collect and analyze our experiences in the treatment of advanced cancers, on breast cancer. Furthermore, I highlight the interdisciplinary, intersectoral and multiprofessional study on nursing consultation for oral therapy for patients with gyneco-oncological cancers. The third part summarizes the project on hemato-oncological teaching in outpatient setting. I describe a model of online-teaching as well as tailored clerkships in the outpatient setting with mentoring program for the subspecialty in hematology and oncology. This work underscores the imperative to integrate academic rigor with ambulatory care realities, advancing precision medicine and interdisciplinary education.

• Dokumententyp: Habilitationsschriften
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften ; 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• Fakultäten: Medizinische Fakultät
• Sprache der Hochschulschrift: Englisch
• Datum der mündlichen Prüfung: 2026