2026

#Westerdorf J, Ahmad W, Lami K, Bychkov A, Fukuoka J, Michels S, Wolf J, Trost F, Heldwein M, Quaas A, Büttner R, Tolkach Y.
Single-cell analysis for prognosis and tumor biology assessment in lung adenocarcinoma.
Precision Pathology. 2026 Jul 30;100005.
DOI

#Bedau T, Harder C, Al-Shughri A, Wang Y, Pryalukhin A, Eich ML, Lyu SI, Büttner R, Quaas A, Tolkach Y.
Comprehensive evaluation of cross cancer generalization in histopathology segmentation models across 21 tumor types.
Commun Med (Lond). 2026 May 5;6(1):302.
DOI

#Babendererde N, Lemke N, Stieber J, Fuchs M, Weng Z, Eich ML, Lingscheidt T, Mairinger F, Büttner R, Tolkach Y, Mukhopadhyay A.
Nationwide federated learning for histopathology: secure deployment across Germany behind firewalls.
NPJ Digit Med. 2026 Jul 28;9(1):581.
DOI

#Abila E, Buljan I, Zheng Y, Kleissl L, Klotz S, Veres T, Weng Z, Nackenhorst M, Kamies R, Michl A, Kadri S, Moustafa S, Hulla W, Perkonigg M, Drach M, Tschandl P, Sterniczky B, Heinig M, De Sadeleer LJ, Wuyts W, Vanaudenaerde B, Ceulemans LJ, Buchanan DD, Fennell LJ, Stary G, Tolkach Y, Wöhrer A, Schiller HB, Rendeiro AF.
Histological aging signatures for monitoring tissue-specific aging and disease.
Nat Med. 2026 Aug 14.
DOI | Rendeiro Lab

#Trost F, Zhang B, Aring I, Bauer M, Glamann L, Wessolly M, Johnson K, Göbel H, Lerbs T, Sangenne T, Herrmann P, Mairinger F, Kopp C, Michels S, Rasokat A, Heldwein M, Wagner S, Schömig-Markiefka B, Wolf J, Hartmann S, Wickenhauser C, Bychkov A, Klussmann JP, Quaas A, Buettner R, Tolkach Y.
An agentic framework for autonomous scientific discovery in cancer pathology.
Nature Medicine. 2026 Apr 29.
DOI

#Garcia-Baroja J, Dislich B, Zens P, Zagrapan B, Parokkaran FM, Wütschert L, Weber SE, Christe L, Neppl C, Rau T, Perren A, Tolkach Y, Zlobec I, Khan A.
MetAssist 2.0: A Generalizable AI Framework for Lymph Node Metastasis Detection Across Multiple Cancer Types.
Mod Pathol. 2026 Apr 15:101003.
DOI

#Heilijgers F, Polack M, Roodvoets AGH, Meershoek-Klein Kranenbarg E, Peeters KCMJ, Buettner R, Tolkach Y, Mesker WE; UNITED Collaboration.
Automating tumor-stroma ratio quantification in colon cancer patients from the UNITED study
ESMO Open 2026 11(1)
DOI

#Westerdorf J, Tretiakova M, Weiten R, Pryalukhin A, Quaas A, Reis H, Gaisa NT, Fahoum I, Pham H, Bismar TA, Lima JF, Eich ML, Lasnitschka NA, Hulla W, Heidenreich A, Netto GJ, Büttner R, Paffenholz P, Tolkach Y.
Comparison of glass-based and whole-slide image-based grade assignment for clear-cell and papillary renal cell carcinoma: a multi-cohort, international reproducibility study.
Histopathology. 2026 Feb;88(3):615-627.
DOI

#Weng Z, Pryalukhin A, Hulla W, Bychkov A, Fukuoka J, Schallenberg S, Buchstab O, Klauschen F, Büttner R, Tolkach Y.
Similarity-guided swarm of models: enhancing semi-supervised learning in computational pathology
Sci Rep. 2025 Dec 30;15(1):45667
DOI

2025 (most important)
#Wang Y, Lami K, Ahmad W, Schallenberg S, Bychkov A, Ye Y, Jonigk D, Zhu X, Campelos S, Schultheis A, Heldwein M, Quaas A, Ryska A, Moreira AL, Fukuoka J, Büttner R, Tolkach Y.
AI Algorithm for Lung Adenocarcinoma Pattern Quantification (PATQUANT): International Validation and Advanced Risk Stratification Superior to Conventional Grading
MedComm. 2025 Sep 8;6(9):e70380.
DOI

#Noh KW, Tolkach Y, Helbig D, Mitchell Barroso V, Foerster Y, Schlaak M, Biedermann T, Buettner R, Persa OD.
Multimodal approach predicts relapse upon cessation of immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced melanoma.
Clin Cancer Res. 2025 Nov 14;31(22):4730-4744.
DOI

#Ahmad WKM, Bedau T, Wang Y, Michels S, Rasokat A, Wolf J, Heldwein M, Schallenberg S, Quaas A, Büttner R, Tolkach Y.
Development and clinical validation of a prognostic algorithm for stroma-tumor ratio quantification in non-small cell lung cancer.
Lung Cancer 2025 Jul;205:108613.
DOI

#Barroso VM, Weng Z, Glamann L, Bauer M, Wickenhauser C, Zander T, Büttner R, Quaas A, Tolkach Y.
AI-based single-cell analysis as a next-generation histological grading approach in colorectal cancer: prognostic role and tumor biology assessment
Modern Pathology 38(7):100771
DOI

#Grothey B, Odenkirchen J, Brkic A, Schömig-Markiefka B, Quaas A, Büttner R, Tolkach Y.
Comprehensive testing of large language models for extraction of structured data in pathology.
Communications Medicine. 2025 Mar 31;5(1):96.
DOI

#Carvalho R, Zander T, Barroso VM, Bekisoglu A, Zerbe N, Klein S, Büttner R, Quaas A, Tolkach Y.
AI-based tumor-stroma ratio quantification algorithm: comprehensive evaluation of prognostic role in primary colorectal cancer.
Virchows Arch. 2025 Oct;487(4):799-813.
DOI

2024 (most important)
#Weng Z, Seper A, Pryalukhin A, Mairinger F, Wickenhauser C, Bauer M, Glamann L, Bläker H, Lingscheidt T, Hulla W, Jonigk D, Schallenberg S, Bychkov A, Fukuoka J, Braun M, Schömig-Markiefka B, Klein S, Thiel A, Bozek K, Netto GJ, Quaas A, Büttner R, Tolkach Y.
GrandQC: A comprehensive solution to quality control problem in digital pathology
Nature Communications 2024 15, 10685
DOI

#Kreten F, Büttner R, Peifer M, Harder C, Hillmer AM, Abedpour N, Bovier A, Tolkach Y.
Tumor architecture and emergence of strong genetic alterations are bottlenecks for clonal evolution in primary prostate cancer
Cell Systems 2024 Nov 7:S2405-4712(24)00302-8.
DOI

#Kludt C, Wang Y, Ahmad W, Bychkov A, Fukuoka J, Gaisa N, Kühnel M, Jonigk D, Pryalukhin A, Mairinger F, Klein F, Schultheis AM, Seper A, Hulla W, Brägelmann J, Michels S, Klein S, Quaas A, Büttner R, Tolkach Y.
Next-generation lung cancer pathology: Development and validation of diagnostic and prognostic algorithms
Cell Reports Medicine 2024 Aug 14:101697.
DOI

#Harder C, Pryalukhin A, Quaas A, Eich ML, Tretiakova M, Klein S, Seper A, Heidenreich A, Netto GJ, Hulla W, Büttner R, Bozek K, Tolkach Y.
Enhancing Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: Artificial intelligence-Driven Virtual Biopsy for Optimal Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Targeted Biopsy Approach and Gleason Grading Strategy
Modern Pathology 2024 Jul 17;37(10):100564.
DOI

#Giammanco A, Bychkov A, Schallenberg S, Tsvetkov T, Fukuoka J, Pryalukhin A, Mairinger F, Seper A, Hulla W, Klein S, Quaas A, Büttner R, Tolkach Y.
Fast-track development and multi-institutional clinical validation of an artificial intelligence algorithm for detection of lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer
Modern Pathology 2024 Apr 16:100496
DOI

2023 and earlier (most important)
# Griem J, Eich ML, Schallenberg S, Pryalukhin A, Bychkov A, Fukuoka J, Zayats V, Hulla W, Munkhdelger J, Seper A, Tsvetkov T, Mukhopadhyay A, Sanner A, Stieber J, Fuchs M, Babendererde N, Schömig-Markiefka B, Klein S, Buettner R, Quaas A, Tolkach Y.
Artificial intelligence-based tool for tumor detection and quantitative tissue analysis in colorectal specimens
Modern Pathology 2023; 36: 100327
DOI

# Klein S, Wuerdemann N, Demers I, Kopp C, Quantius J, Charpentier A, Tolkach Y, Brinker K, Sharma S, George J, Hess J, Stögbauer F, Lacko M, Struijlaart M, van den Hout M, Wagner S, Wittekindt C, Langer C, Arens C, Buettner R, Quaas A, Reinhardt H, Speel E, Klussmann J.
Predicting HPV association using deep learning and regular H&E stains allows granular stratification of oropharyngeal cancer patients.
NPJ Digital Medicine 2023; 6: 152
DOI

# Tolkach Y, Ovtcharov V, Pryalukhin A, Eich ML, Gaisa NT, Braun M, Radzhabov A, Quaas A, Hammerer P, Dellmann A, Hulla W, Haffner MC, Reis H, Fahoum I, Samarska I, Borbat A, Pham H, Heidenreich A, Klein S, Netto G, Caie P, Büttner R.
An international multi-institutional validation study of the algorithm for prostate cancer detection and Gleason grading.
NPJ Precision Oncology 2023; 7: 77
DOI

# Tolkach Y, Wolgast LM, Damanakis A, Pryalukhin A, Schallenberg S, Hulla W, Eich M.-L., Schroeder W, Mukhopadhyay A, Fuchs M, Klein S, Bruns C, Büttner R, Gebauer F, Schömig-Markiefka B, Quaas A.
Artificial intelligence for tumor detection and histological regression grading in oesophageal adenocarcinomas: a retrospective algorithm development and validation study
Lancet Digital Health 2023, 5, E265-E275.
DOI

# Tolkach Y, Kremer A, Lotz G, Schmid M, et al.
Androgen Receptor Splice Variants Contribute to the Upregulation of DNA Repair in Prostate Cancer.
Cancers 2022;14(18):4441.
DOI

# Schömig-Markiefka B, Pryalukhin A, Hulla W, Bychkov A, Fukuoka J, Madabhushi A, Achter V, Nieroda L, Büttner R, Quaas A, Tolkach Y.
Quality control stress test for deep learning-based diagnostic model in digital pathology.
Mod Pathol 2021; 34(12):2098-2108.
DOI

# Tolkach Y, Zarbl R, Bauer S, Ritter M, Ellinger J, et al.
DNA Promoter Methylation and ERG Regulate the Expression of CD24 in Prostate Cancer.
Am J Pathol. 2021; 191(4):618-630.
DOI

# Tolkach Y, Dohmgörgen T, Toma M, Kristiansen G.
High-accuracy prostate cancer pathology using deep learning.
Nature Mach Intell 2020; 2:411–418.
DOI

# Kremer A, Kremer T, Kristiansen G, Tolkach Y.
Where is the limit of prostate cancer biomarker research? Systematic investigation of potential prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers.
BMC Urol. 2019 Jun 6;19(1):46.
DOI

# Tolkach Y, Thomann S, Kristiansen G.
Three-dimensional reconstruction of prostate cancer architecture with serial immunohistochemical sections: hallmarks of tumour growth, tumour compartmentalisation, and implications for grading and heterogeneity.
Histopathology. 2018 May;72(6):1051-1059.
DOI

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