Honoring a Legacy in Medicinal Inorganic Chemistry
The symposium Metal-Based Anticancer Drugs: New Perspectives was held in Vienna to mark the retirement of Professor Bernhard Keppler, honoring his contributions to the field of medicinal inorganic chemistry.
The event brought together leading international experts who presented cutting-edge developments in metal-based therapeutics, including advances in photodynamic therapy, radiotherapy, theranostics, and the clinical progress of ruthenium-based drug candidates. Among the speakers were Ang Wee Han, Angela Casini, Gilles Gasser, Dan Gibson, and Margret Schottelius, with Sherri McFarland joining online. Isaac Witz, Founding President of the International Cancer Microenvironment Society and honorary doctor of the University of Vienna, attended as a special guest.
Research from the Institute was presented by Christian Kowol, Michael Reithofer, Thomas Mindt, Mathea Galanski, Samuel Meier-Menches, and Elisa Tomat, Bernhard Keppler’s successor as Professor of Inorganic Chemistry. They were joined by Dr. Mark Bazett from Bold Therapeutics, who presented the latest results of the clinical studies on BOLD-100, the ruthenium compound KP1339 originally developed by Bernhard Keppler in Heidelberg.
In addition to the rich scientific program and stimulating discussions, the symposium also provided a relaxed setting for renewing old connections and fostering new collaborations during the dinner.
Impressions
On 25 and 26 April, the symposium 'Metal-Based Anticancer Drugs: New Perspectives' was held in the Carl Auer von Welsbach Lecture Hall at the Faculty of Chemistry. (© Lingcong Ge)
The event honoured Bernhard Keppler’s contributions to the development of tumour therapeutics and provided a platform for discussing current advances in the field. (© Lingcong Ge)
After nearly three decades leading the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Bernhard Keppler stepped down from his position in 2024. (© Lingcong Ge)
Ang Wee Han from the National University of Singapore spoke about metallocomplexes as inducers of immunogenic cell death. (© Lingcong Ge)
Dan Gibson from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a veteran in the field, presented on ‘Multi-Targeting Pt(IV) Anticancer Prodrugs vs. Co-Administration of Their Components’. (© Lingcong Ge)
Theranostics was represented by Margret Schottelius from the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, with her talk 'Metal Radioisotopes – The (Almost) Magic Bullet for Targeted Theranostics'. (© Lingcong Ge)
The intimate setting of the symposium encouraged informal exchange and scientific discussion. (© Lingcong Ge)
Gilles Gasser from Chimie ParisTech presented 'Towards Selective Delivery of Novel Metal-Based Photosensitizers for Anticancer Photodynamic Therapy'. (© Lingcong Ge)
Sherri McFarland from the University of Texas at Arlington joined online to present her work on the ruthenium(II) complex TLD1433, from concept to clinical application. (© Lingcong Ge)
The conference dinner took place at a traditional Viennese Heuriger... (© Lingcong Ge)
... and offered participants a relaxed setting for further exchange. (© Lingcong Ge)
Bernhard Keppler with Isaac Witz from Tel Aviv University, who pursued a scientific collaboration with the University of Vienna's medical faculty and later the Medical University of Vienna, as well as the Faculty of Chemistry. In 2018 he was awared a honorary doctorate from the University of Vienna. (© Lingcong Ge)
Angela Casini from the Technical University of Munich gave a talk titled 'Organometallic Chemistry @Gold: Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry.' (© Lingcong Ge)
Current research at the Institute was presented by Christian Kowol, who continues the collaboration with the Medical University of Vienna... (© David Loibnegger)
... and Michael Reithofer, both alumni of Bernhard Keppler’s group... (© David Loibnegger)
... Thomas Mindt, who also heads the University of Vienna’s section of the Joint Applied Medicinal Radiochemistry Facility... (© David Loibnegger)
... and Mathea Galanski, who came to Vienna from Heidelberg together with Bernhard Keppler.... (© Lingcong Ge)
... Samuel Meier-Menches, tenure track professor for Translational Precision Analytics in Individualized Medicine... (© Lingcong Ge)
... and Elisa Tomat from the University of Arizona, who will join the Institute in October as Chair of Inorganic Chemistry, succeeding Bernhard Keppler. (© Lingcong Ge)
The latest results on the ruthenium compound BOLD-100/KP1339 were presented by Walter Berger, Bernhard Keppler’s long-time collaborator at the Medical University’s Center for Cancer Research... (© Lingcong Ge)
.. and by Mark Bazett from Bold Therapeutics, who shared the most recent clinical trial data. (© Lingcong Ge)
From left to right: Walter Berger, Mark Bazett, Bernhard Keppler, Angela Casini, and Gilles Gasser participated in a panel discussion on the future of metal-based anticancer drugs. (© Lingcong Ge)
The poster prize, sponsored by Young CCC – Comprehensive Cancer Center, was awarded to Sophie Thomas, currently a postdoc in Michael Reithofer’s group. (© Lingcong Ge)
(© David Loibnegger)
Passing the torch: Elisa Tomat also works in medicinal bioinorganic chemistry and cancer research. (© Lingcong Ge)