Präzisionstherapie-Cluster
Wir freuen uns, Sandy Tretbar (Fraunhofer IZI), Projektleiterin von SB-TRACT innerhalb von SaxoCell, zum Gewinn des „Idee“-Preises bei der 10. Leipziger Gründungsnacht mit ihrem innovativen Spin-off-Projekt CAR FINDER zu gratulieren.
Mit einem überzeugenden Pitch und einem visionären Konzept zur schnellen Bewertung von CAR-T-Zellkandidaten konnte Sandy gemeinsam mit ihrem Team die Jury begeistern und sich ein Preisgeld in Höhe von 5.000 € sichern.
CAR FINDER bietet eine Plattform zur raschen Identifizierung und Charakterisierung vielversprechender CAR-Kandidaten für nächste-Generation-Zelltherapieprodukte – und beschleunigt damit deren Entwicklung durch eine umfassende in-vitro-Analyse von CAR-Expression, Signalgebung und CAR-T-Zell-Funktionalität.
Wir freuen uns sehr, dass Sandys wissenschaftliche Exzellenz und ihr unternehmerischer Elan auf diese Weise gewürdigt werden, und blicken gespannt auf die nächsten Schritte in der Entwicklung von CAR FINDER.
Herzlichen Glückwunsch an Sandy und das gesamte CAR FINDER-Team sowie an Fraunhofer AHEAD und alle, die diese vielversprechende Innovation unterstützen. SaxoCell ist stolz darauf, solch inspirierende Talente in unserer Community zu haben!
We are pleased to congratulate Sandy Tretbar (Fraunhofer IZI), project lead of SB-TRACT within SaxoCell, on winning the “Idea” award at the 10th Leipziger Gründungsnacht with her innovative spin-off project CAR FINDER.
With a strong pitch and a visionary approach to rapid CAR T-cell screening, Sandy and her team impressed the jury and received a prize of €5,000.
CAR FINDER offers a platform for the fast identification and characterization of lead CAR candidates for next-generation cell therapy products — accelerating development through comprehensive in-vitro analysis of CAR expression, signaling, and CAR T-cell functionality.
We are delighted to see Sandy’s entrepreneurial drive and scientific excellence being recognized and are excited to follow the next steps in the CAR FINDER journey.
Warm congratulations to Sandy and the entire CAR FINDER team, as well as to Fraunhofer AHEAD and everyone supporting this highly promising innovation. SaxoCell is proud to have such inspiring talent in our community!
Of course — here is a polished English translationLeipzig, 15 November 2025 – During the Cancer Information Day hosted by Leipzig University Hospital, the SaxoCell Cluster presented its own Patient Day and attracted great interest. Numerous visitors took the opportunity to learn more at the SaxoCell booth about new therapy approaches developed in Saxony, which are already benefiting patients with blood cancer today.
Serving as key points of contact, Nicole Modler and Stefanie Binder from SaxoCellutions – the coordination hub of SaxoCell – engaged in many in-depth conversations, answered questions, and provided insights into current developments in cell and gene therapy. The strong engagement from attendees highlighted how essential clear and accessible information about modern treatment options is.
An emotional highlight of the day was a reading by author and former UKL cancer patient Stefan Schwarz from his book “Bis ins Mark” (“To the Core”). With humor, honesty, and heartfelt sincerity, he shared his experiences during treatment – a contribution that moved and encouraged the audience in equal measure.
Scientifically, the event was enriched by two impressive lectures from Leipzig University Hospital: Prof. Ulrich Hacker gave an easy-to-understand overview of personalized cancer medicine, while PD Dr. Vladan Vucinic presented the latest advances in innovative cell therapies as well as current progress within the SaxoCell Cluster.
The consistently well-attended sessions and lively discussions demonstrated both the high demand for information and the trust patients place in advanced therapeutic approaches.
SaxoCell extends its thanks to the University Cancer Center Leipzig (UCCL) and the event management team of UKL for their excellent organization and collaborative partnership in making this valuable Patient Day possible.
