Funding Programs of the National Strategy for Gene- and Cell-Based Therapies: First cohorts selected

Project Funding According to the Spark Method

One of the first measures of the National Strategy for Gene- and Cell-Based Therapies (GCT) is the funding of translational projects for therapy with gene- and cell-based products and associated diagnostics using the SPARK method. SPARK is a global network of programs at over 40 academic institutions worldwide that provides funding, mentoring and education in translational research and spin-offs to translate research findings into clinically relevant therapies. The first European SPARK program was established in Berlin in 2015. SPARK-BIH has been based at the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH) since 2018. In summer 2024, researchers from all over Germany were invited to submit their projects for the national GCT program. A jury of international experts has now selected projects for the first cohort with teams from Berlin, Bonn, Frankfurt, Freiburg, Göttingen, Hamburg, Hanover, Leipzig, Mainz, Mannheim, Regensburg, Tübingen and Würzburg. These included future-oriented research projects from the fields of process development and platform technologies to therapies aimed at monogenetic diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancer.

SPARK-BIH offers two funding lines: In Track 1, projects in the early phase can apply for one-year funding of up to 50,000 euros. Track 2 supports advanced projects with a funding requirement of at least 50,000 euros over two years. Selected projects will work with the SPARK-BIH team to develop a milestone agreement to advance the projects through translation with targeted funding and expertise.

In addition, SPARK offers an educational program with lectures and seminars on the topic of biomedical translation. Project teams are closely supported by SPARK-BIH project managers and receive expert technical and entrepreneurial advice from national and international experts tailored to their specific needs.

"For almost 20 years, the SPARK method has been a very successful way of bringing projects from research into application and thus generating a positive impact for patients and society. It is important for us to convey to the teams that you have to think translation from the end," says Tanja Rosenmund, Head of the SPARK-BIH program.

The call for the second cohort is already closed and the selection of projects will take place shortly.
 

Support for Individuals: National Translational Tandem Program for Gene and Cell-based Therapies (nTTP-GCT)

Another measure of the National Strategy for GCT is the promotion of tandems by the BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy (BIA), in which a Junior Clinician Scientist (JCS) and a Translational Scientist (TS) work together on a GCT project. The BIA is a think tank for strategic academic personnel development in biomedicine and has many years of experience and expertise in the target group-specific promotion of young translational talent. The first call for applications for the nTTP-GCT funding line was published in summer 2024. For the pilot cohort, the BIA, with the support of a jury of 22 national GCT experts, selected a total of 9 tandems for funding in a two-stage selection process. These tandems come from Berlin, Dresden, Erlangen, Hanover and Mainz and started their funding in spring 2025.

The aim of this innovative personal funding line is to provide clinically and non-clinically working scientists with “protected time” for research for the funding period of two years through pro rata job funding (JCS: 20%, TS: 50% of working time). In addition, the program offers funding recipients further training and networking opportunities in the field of GCT as well as financial support for project-related travel. At a national level, it helps to strengthen translational networking structures between basic research and clinical practice on the one hand and academia and industry on the other.

The second call for proposals will be published on June 18, 2025. This has been adapted even more closely to the needs of the target groups and their institutions, e.g. the eligibility criteria have been revised, the amount of "protected time" can be made more flexible and there is the possibility of raising up to 50,000 euros per tandem in material funds.

"The targeted funding of translational projects in the field of GCT is one of the first funding measures that we have implemented. The great interest from all over Germany shows the high demand. I am convinced that our experts at SPARK-BIH and the Biomedical Innovation Academy will offer the teams ideal support to bring their research into application," says Prof. Christopher Baum, spokesperson for the National Strategy for Gene- and Cell-Based Therapies and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH).