Our goal is to advance leukemia diagnostics and thus provide as many people as possible with access to the best possible therapy.

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Laboratory development and infrastructure

Because optimal diagnostics only work with the right workflow.

Training and further education of personnel

Because new technologies and applications must also be communicated.

Support for practice-bases research

Because this is the only way to ensure that research benefits patients in the short term.

Torsten Haferlach Leukemia Diagnostics Foundation and Illumina donate sequencing equipment to Latin American laboratories

Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized the diagnostics and therapy of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). “It is time for us to come together to tackle the important tasks in patient care and to make the best possible use of global advances in technology for our patients”, says MLL founder and CEO Prof. Dr. Dr. Torsten Haferlach. That is why his foundation, the Torsten Haferlach Leukemia Diagnostics Foundation, together with Illumina, is donating six iSeq™ instruments to reference laboratories in Latin America so that low to middle-income countries can also advance AML diagnostics and therapy.

The donation is directed to five Latin American countries – Chile, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil – which are part of the International Consortium on Acute Leukemia (ICAL). In addition to Prof. Torsten Haferlach, the project will be led by Prof. Dr. Peter Valk of the Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam.

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) and Illumina have published all information about this donation project in recent press releases.

> to the article
„ASH Announces Donation of Next-Generation Sequencing Equipment to Countries in the International Consortium on Acute Leukemia” (ASH)

> to the article
“Transforming Diagnoses and Care for Acute Myeloid Leukemia” (Illumina)

You can find more information about the foundation project on our project page.

> to the project page

Your opportunity for a unique research fellowship

The Torsten Haferlach Leukemia Diagnostics Foundation announces scholarships: Scholarship recipients will be able to perform scientific analyses in a data set of 5,000 cases of leukemia and lymphomas that are fully genome-sequenced. We are especially interested in basic scientific and bioinformatic questions, and a combination with the application of artificial intelligence is also welcome.

The aim of the projects should also be to improve approaches to the specific diagnosis of the diseases with the help of this data set, to question general classification criteria, and in particular to uncover and redefine pathophysiological relationships. A further goal is to work out better-targeted therapy options. The possible funding period is between three months and two years. The analyses can be carried out in Munich at the Munich Leukemia Laboratory. Please apply if you would like to be considered for this unique research grant.

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The right diagnostics, the provision of the various necessary methods, and understandable findings for doctors and patients – that is what we want to work on.

Torsten Haferlach Leukemia Diagnostics Foundation.

85%

of all diagnoses with leukemias or lymphomas are made by a combination of different methods.

About the Foundation

Foundation Purpose

In the last 10 years, knowledge on the classification, prognosis and especially on the therapy for leukemias and lymphomas has increased significantly. The right diagnostics, the provision of the various necessary methods, and understandable findings for doctors and patients represent a complex task. Furthermore, the methods offered need to be accredited. Much remains to be done to map this infrastructure reliably, promptly and correctly worldwide. The aim of this foundation is to help achieve exactly that. And thus provide as many people as possible with access to the best possible diagnostics and therapy.

Measures

The correct and comprehensive diagnosis of leukemias and lymphomas is a basic prerequisite for choosing the best possible therapy. The Torsten Haferlach Leukemia Diagnostics Foundation is involved in leukemia research and awards scholarships for research and development services in order to further develop diagnostics on an ongoing basis. The foundation also supports worldwide projects in the field of leukemia diagnostics. To improve the infrastructure, the foundation also supports the establishment of institutions dealing with routine diagnosis of leukemias and lymphomas.

Scholarship Guidelines

Founders of the Foundation

The foundation was established in 2018 by Prof. Dr. Dr. Haferlach. Prof. Dr. Dr. Haferlach is one of the founders of the Munich Leukemia Laboratory and has been involved in hematology research and patient care since his years as a university student. In 1996, Haferlach completed his postdoctoral qualification (habilitation) in internal medicine, with a focus on hematology and internal oncology, and until 2005 he worked as a senior physician at various German university clinics.

Board of Directors and Board of Trustees

Executive Board / Authorized Representative
Prof. em. Dr. univ.-med. Christian Peschel

Board of Trustees
Prof. Dr. Dr. Torsten Haferlach, Munich (Chairperson)
Prof. Dr. Andreas Hochhaus, Weimar (Assistent Chairperson)
Prof. Dr. med. Wolf-K. Hofmann, Mannheim Hofmann, Mannheim
Dr. Ute Berger, Speyer
Jan Geissler, Munich