The Patient Expert Academy (PEAK) repositions itself under the umbrella of the NCT - New perspectives for patient participation in clinical research
Ulrike Schmollinger (left) heads the Patient Expert Academy (PEAK). She is supported by her assistant Nicole Laskowski. Copyright: DFKZ/NCT/Marius Stark
Markus Wartenberg, Chairman of the Sarcoma Foundation and Spokesperson of the NCT Patient Research Council, handed over the baton to the new PEAK Director, Ulrike Schmollinger, at the beginning of the year. The aim of the Academy is to provide patients and patient representatives with the necessary skills to enable them to better participate as active partners in clinical trials: True to the motto “Nothing for patients without patients”. PEAK benefits from an internationally renowned research environment and expanded networking opportunities within the NCT.
“I'm really looking forward to this exciting task and our first newly developed courses,” says Ulrike Schmollinger. “We want to design educational offers that are truly needs-oriented. Given the very heterogeneous target group, this is certainly a major challenge, but one that we are happy to take on and learn from together. Over the past few months, I have already learned an enormous amount from our NCT Patient Research Councils and Patient Advisory Boards and have noticed a great deal of commitment. It is precisely this energy and the exchange among each other that we want to promote with the PEAK Learning World.”
The aim of the NCT is to translate innovations in cancer research in Germany into studies in a targeted and rapid manner in order to successfully diagnose cancer according to the latest research and treat it while maintaining a high quality of life. Patients are research partners on an equal footing.
Against this background, the transfer of the PEAK from the German Sarcoma Foundation to the NCT marks an important step towards anchoring patient participation even more firmly in clinical cancer research at the NCT. Thanks to the courses on offer, patients can actively shape research based on their own experiences.
The PEAK courses are open to all interested parties who want to actively participate in patient involvement in clinical cancer research.
PEAK invites you to an online information event to introduce the new structure and upcoming content. Interested patients, relatives and experts from clinical research are cordially invited:
PEAK online information event:
February 20, 2025, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
The event offers insights into the PEAK concept, introduces the PEAK learning world and gives an outlook on the upcoming educational offers.
The new basic course “Patients as research partners in clinical trials” starts on 12.03.25. The exact dates can be found on the website nct.dkfz.de/peak.