Deutsche Forschungsge meinschaft
The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) is the self-governing body of the German scientific community. As a non-profit, non-governmental organization, DFG serves all fields of science and the humanities by funding research projects and promoting co-operation among researchers. DFG fosters relations between academic research and the private sector as well as international collaboration in research. It devotes particular attention to the promotion of young scientists. As part of its statutory mandate, DFG also advices parliaments and governments on scientific matters.
In organisational terms DFG is an association under private law. Its members are German universities, research institutions, scientific associations, and the academies of science. DFG receives funds from the Federal government and the 16 Länder governments, which are represented on all decision-making bodies.
DFG`s funding portfolio is designed to meet the diverse needs of the research community. With a broad range of programmes, DFG supports research projects in all disciplines: the humanities and social sciences, biology and medicine, as well as the natural and engineering sciences. Every researcher in Germany who has completed his or her doctorate is entitled to apply to DFG for financial assistance. A competitive multistage peer review system awards financial support for research projects solely on the basis of scientific excellence and thus ensures a quality-based allocation of funds.
A profile of the organisation is available on the DFG website: http://www.dfg.de/
For research funding information see DFG support for stem cell research.
The annual research budget of the DFG is ~€1.5 billion (~$2.2 billion). Whilst there is no designated stem cell research budget, the 2007 gross spending on stem cell research projects was €3.5 million.
Stem cell strategy
On 10 November 2006 DFG released its statement “Stem Cell Research in Germany – Possibilities and Perspectives”. To improve the basic conditions for stem cell research, the DFG recommended that the Stem Cell Act be amended as follows in the near future:
- The qualifying date (deadline) for the import of hES cell lines should be abolished (at present: no import of hESC lines generated after 01 January 2002).
- The importation of hES cell lines should be also permitted if these are intended to be used for diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic purposes.
- The threat of criminal sanctions for German scientists should be abolished and the scope of the Stem Cell Act should be clearly limited to Germany.
The legislation process is ongoing, several versions of a new stem cell act are proposed to be discussed in parliament. A decision can be expected by late March 2008.
Key stem cell centres/initiatives
- Excellence Initiative: Excellence Cluster 168, Dresden: “From Cells to Tissues to Therapies” (http://www.crt-dresden.de/)
- Excellence Initiative: Excellence Cluster 62, Hannover: “From Regenerative Biology to Reconstructive Therapy” (http://www.rebirth-hannover.de/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1&lang=de)
- Collaborative Research Centre 488, Heidelberg: “Molecular und Cellular Basis of Neuronal Developmental Processes” (http://www.sfb488.uni-hd.de/)
- Collaborative Research Centre 655, Dresden: “Cells into Tissues, Stem Cell and Progenitor Commitment and Interactions during Tissue Formation” (http://www.sfb655.de/collaborative-research-center-655/view?set_language=en)
- Transregional Collaborative Research Centre TRR 3, Bonn: “Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsies” (http://www.meb.uni-bonn.de/epileptologie/sfb-tr3/)
- National Priority Programme 1129 “Epigenetics” (http://www.uni-saarland.de/fak8/genetik/dfg/html/ehome.html)
- National Priority Programme 1356 “Pluripotency and Cellular Reprogramming”
- Clinical Research Unit 136, Hannover: “Regeneration and Adaptation in the Cardiovascular System: Molecular Signalling Pathways und Mechanisms”
- Research Unit 717, Düsseldorf: “Unrestricted Somatic Stem Cells from Umbilical Cord Blood (USSC)”
Recent research achievements
Although the selection of research achievements is subjective, among others, the following studies demonstrated a significant success in the field:
1. The establishment of a method for site-directed genetic modification of hES cells (Nolden L et al.,: Site-specific recombination in human embryonic stem cells induced by cell-permeant Cre recombinase. Nature Methods 3: 461-467, 2006; Laboratory of Prof. O. Brüstle, Univ. Bonn)(http://www.nature.com/nmeth/journal/v3/n6/abs/nmeth884.html;jsessionid=3137ECC209480B4EE230E940B9FD4D34)
2. The transplantation of bone marrow-derived fractionated mesenchymal stem cells into the infarcted heart of transgenic mice showed that encapsulated structures with calcification/ossification were detected. The data underline the urgent need for analysis of the clinical safety of using whole BM and in particular MSC to treat non-hematopoietic disorders (Breitbach M et al., Blood 110: 1362-1369, 2007; Laboratory of Prof. B. Fleischmann, Univ. Bonn)(http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/cgi/content/abstract/110/4/1362)
3. Demonstration of functional neurons derived from glial cells (Berninger B et al., Functional properties of neurons derived from in vitro reprogrammed postnatal astroglia. J. Neuroscience 27: 8654-8664, 2007, and previous papers; Laboratory of Prof. M. Goetz, University of Munich and GSF Neuherberg). (http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/32/8654)
4. The plasticity of axolotl spinal cord-derived neural progenitors (Mchedlishvili L et al., A clonal analysis of neural progenitors during axolotl spinal cord regeneration reveals evidence for both spatially restricted and multipotent progenitors: Development. 2007 Jun;134(11):2083-93; Laboratory of Dr. E.M. Tanaka, MPI CBG, Dresden) (http://dev.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/134/11/2083)
The Stem Cell Network of North Rhine and Westphalia is operating within the remit of the DFG, and can be contacted via their website - http://www.stammzellen.nrw.de/en/startseite.html. Alternatively you may visit the website of the Federal Ministry of Research and Education at http://www.bmbf.org/en/index.php.
For further information please visit: http://www.dfg.de/en/news/special_reports/stem_cell_research/.
