World Cancer Day 2026 – united by unique: Cell lines for national and international cancer research – Leibniz Institute DSMZ cell line collection
BRAUNSCHWEIG, LOWER SAXONY AREA, GERMANY, February 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Department of Human and Animal Cell Cultures at the Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures maintains more than 750 human and other animal cancer cell lines, providing them to scientists worldwide for cancer research, reports department head Prof. Dr. Laura Steenpaß. This year’s World Cancer Day on 4 February has the motto ‘united by unique’. This reflects the fact that every cancer patient and every cancer carry its own mutations and changes, despite the many shared similarities within their groups. This discrepancy between the general and the specific presents major challenges for cancer treatment, especially as more and more people are developing cancer in our ageing society, Dr. Stefan Nagel continues.
The cancer cell lines provided by the Human and Animal Cell Cultures Department of the Leibniz Institute DSMZ are used for both basic and clinical research. Cancer cell lines are established from tumor cells of cancer patients, grow indefinitely in cell culture, can be stored frozen and retain their essential characteristics. They therefore represent valuable models for studying the respective cancer entity, can be shipped worldwide and independently investigated by research groups. Within the multitude of cancer entities, the DSMZ has the world’s largest collection of leukemia and lymphoma cell lines, making them available to researchers worldwide. One hundred cell lines (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-44491-x) from this cancer group have already been sequenced and characterized. In addition, all breast cancer cell lines at the Leibniz Institute DSMZ have recently been analyzed and described in detail (https://www.dsmz.de/press/press-releases/singleview/krebsforschung-forschende-des-leibniz-instituts-dsmz-charakterisieren-brustkrebs-zelllinien). Details on available DSMZ cell lines can be found in the open-access DSMZCellDive database (https://celldive.dsmz.de/). Beyond its role as a cell bank, the DSMZ also conducts cutting-edge research on various tumor entities using these cell lines. Further information on the main areas of research of the Department of Human and Animal Cell Cultures can be found at https://research.dsmz.de/group/MuTZ/general-info
Press contact
PhDr. Sven-David Müller, Head of Public Relations, Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH
Phone: ++49 (0)531/2616-300
Mail: press@dsmz.de
About the Leibniz Institute DSMZ
The Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures is the world’s most diverse collection of biological resources (bacteria, archaea, protists, yeasts, fungi, bacteriophages, plant viruses, genomic bacterial DNA as well as human and animal cell lines). Microorganisms and cell cultures are collected, investigated and archived at the DSMZ. As an institution of the Leibniz Association, the DSMZ with its extensive scientific services and biological resources has been a global partner for research, science and industry since 1969. The DSMZ was the first registered collection in Europe (Regulation (EU) No. 511/2014) and is certified according to the quality standard ISO 9001:2015. As a patent depository, it offers the only possibility in Germany to deposit biological material in accordance with the requirements of the Budapest Treaty. In addition to scientific services, research is the second pillar of the DSMZ. The institute, located on the Science Campus Braunschweig-Süd, accommodates more than 92,500 bioresources and has almost 230 employees. www.dsmz.de
The Leibniz Association
The Leibniz Association connects 96 independent research institutions that range in focus from natural, engineering and environmental sciences to economics, spatial and social sciences and the humanities. Leibniz Institutes address issues of social, economic and ecological relevance. They conduct basic and applied research, including in the interdisciplinary Leibniz Research Alliances, maintain scientific infrastructure, and provide research-based services. The Leibniz Association identifies focus areas for knowledge transfer, particularly with the Leibniz research museums. It advises and informs policymakers, science, industry and the general public. Leibniz institutions collaborate intensively with universities – including in the form of Leibniz ScienceCampi – as well as with industry and other partners at home and abroad. They are subject to a transparent, independent evaluation procedure. Because of their importance for the country as a whole, the Leibniz Association Institutes are funded jointly by Germany’s central and regional governments. The Leibniz Institutes employ around 21,400 people, including 12,170 researchers. The financial volume amounts to 2,3 billion euros. www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de
PhDr. Sven David Mueller, M.Sc.
Leibniz-Institut DSMZ
+49 5312616300
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