At the 25th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Radiation Research (DeGBS), held at Schloss Fürstenried in Munich from 29 September – 1 October 2025, the Board of the DeGBS was re-elected for another two years, promoting continuity and trust among members. The conference showcased the interdisciplinary and diverse nature of radiation research in Germany, demonstrating that the DeGBS can compete internationally and is well integrated into the global research community. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the international keynote speakers Profs. Brita Singers Sørensen, Heiko Enderling, Lorenzo Galluzzi and Martin Pruschy for their excellent contributions and the spirit of collaboration they exemplify.

Socially relevant research, networking, internationalisation, opening up future prospects, and maintaining expertise in radiation research are particularly important to the entire DeGBS Executive Board. The Society’s mission is to advance research on the biological effects of ionising and non-ionising radiation. The DeGBS is dedicated to preserving and deepening the scientific foundations of radiation protection, as well as translating radiobiological insights into medical practice.

The field of radiation research has seen important developments in recent years, while also facing new challenges, including those arising from the current geopolitical situation. To better address the steadily growing demands, the formation of an advisory board was proposed for the first time at the Annual Meeting and was unanimously welcomed by DeGBS members. The goal is to further strengthen networking with other professional national societies, such as the German Society for Radiation Oncology (DEGRO) and the German Society for Medical Physics (DGMP), enhance public outreach (for example, via a dedicated LinkedIn presence), implement sustainability initiatives (Green Lab initiatives and 3R practices), and build cooperation with international societies such as ESTRO. The DeGBS greatly appreciated ESTRO’s outreach to National Societies to nominate people who could act as session chairs or invited speakers for ESTRO 2026 and upcoming meetings.

The DeGBS warmly invites all early-career radiation researchers to help shape the “Future of Radiation Biology” with them. The Young DeGBS (jDeGBS) is a platform within the DeGBS that brings together early-career researchers from biology, medicine, and physics working in the field of radiation research. Its objectives are to strengthen the interests of young researchers within the DeGBS through funding and training opportunities, increase their visibility both within and beyond the Society, and promote support, networking, and exchange.

Thanks again to ESTRO for offering the opportunity in this Newsletter to provide updates about the DeGBS. We sincerely hope that the DeGBS and ESTRO will come even closer together in the future.

Prof Dr Udo Gaipl
Head of Translational Radiobiology – Focus Radiation Immunobiology
Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Department of Radiation Oncology
Erlangen, Germany