Olaf Witt

Prof. Olaf Witt is a distinguished Professor of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology at Heidelberg University, serving as Director of Translational Pediatric Oncology at the Hopp Children's Tumor Center (KiTZ) Heidelberg. He holds dual appointments at both Heidelberg University Hospital and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), where he leads the Clinical Cooperation Unit for Pediatric Oncology. His clinical role includes serving as Senior Consultant of the Department of Pediatrics III Oncology, Hematology, Immunology and Pulmonology and Head of the KiTZ Trial Unit at the Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

Dr. Witt completed his medical education at the Universities of Münster, Hamburg and Ann Arbor, Michigan, earning his doctorate in medicine from the University of Münster in 1994. His postgraduate training included a postdoc in Molecular Biology at the University of Göttingen (1995-1997), followed by specialist training in pediatrics and neonatology at the University Children's Hospital Göttingen (1997-2002). He achieved Habilitation and Venia Legendi for Pediatrics in 2001, served as a visiting scientist at DKFZ (2002-2003), and worked as a senior physician at the University Children's Hospital Göttingen (2003-2005) before joining Heidelberg University in August 2005. Since November 2016, he has served as Director of the Children's Tumor Center (KiTZ) Heidelberg.

Dr. Witt's research focuses on pediatric oncology, particularly molecular classification of childhood cancers using DNA methylation profiling. His work spans neuro-oncology, sarcoma classification, and targeted therapies for pediatric malignancies. He has pioneered research in BRAF and FGFR inhibitors for pediatric brain tumors and solid tumors, with significant contributions to the molecular understanding of medulloblastoma, ependymoma, and low-grade gliomas. His research integrates multi-omics approaches to improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment personalization in pediatric cancer care.

His publication record demonstrates a clear progression from basic molecular biology to translational and clinical applications, with recent work emphasizing precision medicine approaches. The most recent publications (2023-2024) focus on state-of-the-art treatments for pediatric low-grade glioma, targeted therapies like Erdafitinib for FGFR-altered tumors, and multiomic approaches to improve diagnostic accuracy in pediatric neuro-oncology.

As Director of KiTZ since 2016, Dr. Witt oversees one of Europe's leading pediatric cancer centers, integrating clinical care with cutting-edge research. He serves as Head of the KiTZ Trial Unit, coordinating numerous clinical trials that bridge laboratory discoveries with patient care. His leadership extends to the Clinical Cooperation Unit for Pediatric Oncology at DKFZ, fostering collaboration between basic scientists and clinicians to accelerate the development of novel therapies for childhood cancers.