Successful kick-off meeting for the first nTTP-GCT fellows

The kick-off meeting for the first fellows of the national Translational Tandem Program for Gene- and Cell-based Therapies (nTTP-GCT) took place in Berlin on April 8, 2025. Each tandem consist of a Junior Clinician Scientist and a Translational Scientist and the fellows of the pilot program come from Erlangen, Mainz, Dresden, Hanover and Berlin.

The fellows met at the BIH location “Am Zirkus” to get to know each other and exchange ideas, to present their tandem projects and to be fully informed about the components of the nTTP-GCT. The participants of the kick-off meeting were welcomed by the program heads Dr. Nathalie Huber and Dr. Iwan Meij from the BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy (BIA). Afterwards, Prof. Dr. Christopher Baum, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the BIH at Charité and Chief Translational Research Officer of Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, gave insights into the history and mission of the National Strategy for Gene- and Cell-Based Therapies and its different measures. Colleagues from the National Network Office for GCT also had the opportunity to present their activities. This was a further opportunity for the fellows to learn more about the initiatives of the National Strategy and its implementation.

Overall, there was an open and inspiring atmosphere in which the nTTP-GCT fellows got to know each other and made initial contacts. The project presentations were followed by many interested questions, which underlined the lively exchange and the high level of interest of the other tandems.

After the official kick-off meeting, the evening ended with a cozy get-together and dinner, during which the fellows continued their discussions. An inspiring and successful start for the GCT funding of translational talents!