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Matthias Kroiss (he/him/his)

MD, PhD
UNIVERSITY OF WUERZBURG
Wuerzburg, GERMANY

Endocrine oncology has been the central focus of my research for nearly two decades. After completing medical training in Würzburg (Germany), Grenoble (France), and Neuchâtel (Switzerland), I pursued a PhD in biochemistry at the Chair of Biochemistry in Würzburg, studying ribonucleoproteins.

I subsequently joined the Department of Endocrinology in Würzburg under Professor Bruno Allolio, where Professor Martin Fassnacht became my mentor and introduced me to research on adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). My early work focused on the mechanism of action of mitotane, the main systemic therapy for ACC. We demonstrated that mitotane induces endoplasmic reticulum stress, likely due to lipid accumulation resulting from inhibition of sterol-O-acyl transferase 1 (SOAT1). Although this mechanistic insight did not ultimately translate into effective therapies—as demonstrated by early-phase clinical trials in which we participated—it significantly advanced the understanding of mitotane’s biological effects.

Translating mechanistic discoveries into clinical research has become a central component of my work, including investigator-initiated clinical trials such as the CaboACC study in adrenocortical carcinoma.

My research interests further extend to thyroid carcinoma and other endocrine malignancies. After my appointment as Professor of Endocrine Oncology at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich under the leadership of Professor Martin Reincke, I expanded my research program in endocrine cancers and established a dedicated endocrine clinical trial unit, enabling participation in numerous national and international studies.

More recently, my group has focused on immuno-oncology in endocrine malignancies. We demonstrated that mitotane may impair anti-tumor immune responses in ACC through induction of GDF-15, now considered a potential therapeutic target under development. Current research investigates how steroid hormones shape the tumor microenvironment, particularly macrophage biology.

In parallel with my academic career, I established a specialist endocrine practice in northern Bavaria providing comprehensive care for patients with endocrine diseases and diabetes.

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