13th DKTK Joint Funding Call 2025

With this Joint Funding Call, DKTK aims to stimulate the interaction between DKTK partner sites, to bridge the gap between basic and clinical research, and to accelerate the translation and transfer of scientific discoveries in the areas of prevention, early detection, diagnosis and therapy into tangible outputs for patients. DKTK seeks to fund collaborative translational research projects that focus on the translation and transfer of preclinical research results into medical application by supporting critical steps for the successful preparation of a clinical trial or transfer activities (e.g., medicinal products).

This DKTK Joint Funding Call will support translational cancer research projects, which are driven by strong preliminary results and established proof-of concept, for up to 2 years in two areas: 

  • Pillar 1: Therapeutic Innovations 
  • Pillar 2: Diagnostic Innovations & Molecular Prevention 

At least two DKTK partner sites must be involved in the proposed innovative project. Maximum budget that can be requested per research project is 1.5 Mio €. 

A total of 37 proposals have been submitted during this call. The following three research projects were selected for funding:

  • Enhancing CAR T-Cell Therapy through Metabolic CAR-T Engineering and Tumor Microenvironment Reprogramming  (Boost-CAR): Development of a new CAR T-cell type with improved efficacy in immunosuppressive lymphoma microenvironments by metabolic enhancement and reprogramming of the response to TME signals

    Overall coordinator: Prof. Dr. Sascha Dietrich, Essen/Düsseldorf
    Participating DKTK sites: Essen/Düsseldorf, Frankfurt/Mainz, Munich

     

  • Targeting Sarcoma-Driving Fusion Genes by T Cell Receptor Engineered T Cells (TFUSION): Development of TCR-engineered T cell therapies that target fusion gene-derived peptides in advanced Ewing sarcoma (EWS) and rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS)

    Overall coordinators: Dr. Christian Seitz, Heidelberg; Prof. Dr. Martin Ebinger, Tübingen
    Participating DKTK sites: Heidelberg, Tübingen​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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  • Phosphoproteomics for routine cancer diagnostics (PhosDx): Preparation and validation of a phosphoproteomics-based method, as a clinical diagnostic tool to improve treatment decisions for patients with rare or advanced cancers​​​​​​​

    Overall coordinator: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Küster, Munich​​​​​​​
    Participating DKTK sites: Dresden, Heidelberg, Munich