By connecting molecular technologies, imaging data and AI algorithms in pathology, the Computational & Translational Pathology Lab (CTP Lab) helps doctors make precise diagnostic and prognostic decisions for the well-being of patients. Focusing on tumor pathology, the lab traces and models cross-scale biomedical processes at molecular and the macroscopic level. The challenge is immense: If an average macromolecule inside a tumor were the size of a large backpack, then a tumor of one cubic centimeter would be about the size of the moon. To comprehensively understand tumor formation and progression, it is crucial to examine the continuum from early molecular, subcellular and cellular changes to fully developed tumors within their own ecosystem/tumor microenvironment. While extensive data has been available for some time, the integration of advanced AI algorithms has recently enabled us to unravel the complex interactions across these disparate scales. Moreover, the high-throughput profiling of digital twins and advanced simulations now allows us to model tumor growth dynamics in both forward and reverse directions, offering novel insights into the fundamental principles governing tumor biology.

The CTP Lab develops an entire infrastructure to push this novel AI-based understanding of tumor pathology further. It focuses on digital diagnostics, morpho-molecular pathology, tumor profiling, tumor immunology, and causal inference. Key areas of emphasis include the development and application of advanced imaging technologies, the refinement of computational methods for data analysis, and the translation of these innovations into clinical applications that enhance diagnostic accuracy and personalized patient care.

The CTP Lab was originally founded by Prof. Viktor Koelzer at the University of Zurich and has grown into a leading research hub in computational and translational pathology. It has moved its main location to the University and University Hospital of Basel in 2024. The lab is connected to the University Hospital Centre Basel and is located within the Department of Biomedical Engineering. It collaborates with several renowned institutions, including the University of Oxford, Leiden University, The University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, and the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics. The lab is funded by intramural and competitive grant funding and has won multiple awards at the national and international level. Prof. Dr. Viktor Koelzer is Medical Co-Director of the Institute of Pathology and Full Professor of Experimental Pathology at the University Hospital of Basel. He is a board-certified pathologist and aims to improve patient care through application of new technologies to daily diagnostic practice and research. Prof. Koelzer is also founding member and principal investigator of the Swiss Digital Pathology Initiative (SDPI, www.sdpi.ch) in the SERI Swiss Roadmap for Research Infrastructures 2025-2028.

Prof. Viktor Koelzer's key papers include:

Prediction of recurrence risk in endometrial cancer with multimodal deep learning. published in Nature Medicine,
Multiplex analysis of intratumoural immune infiltrate and prognosis in patients with stage II-III colorectal cancer from the SCOT and QUASAR 2 trials: a retrospective analysis. published in Lancet Oncology,
Automated causal inference in application to randomized controlled clinical trials. published in Nature Machine Intelligence,
The Tumor Profiler Study: integrated, multi-omic, functional tumor profiling for clinical decision support. published in Cancer Cell,
Image-based consensus molecular subtype (imCMS) classification of colorectal cancer using deep learning. published in Gut.

A list of all group members can be found here.

To learn more about our team and current research activities, select one of the projects listed below.