Applications for DKMS John Hansen Research Grant 2027 now open

All information on the DKMS John Hansen Research Grant can be found here. Interested scientists may contact DKMS by e-mail at grant@dkms.org.

Since 2015, the DKMS Stiftung Leben Spenden has been supporting young international scientists with a doctoral degree in medicine or natural sciences (MD, PhD or equivalent, completed no more than 10 years ago) through the DKMS John Hansen Research Grant. Possible areas of research include transplant immunology, new approaches to treat complications following stem cell transplantation, donor selection, cell production, and novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Focus on scientific excellence and clinical relevance

“Science thrives on collaboration and community. That is why we want to support young, brilliant scientists who are driving innovation with their outstanding ideas,” says Prof. Johannes Schetelig, Professor of Stem Cell Transplantation at TU Dresden, Director of Clinical Research at the DKMS Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) in Dresden, and Global Chief Scientific Officer of the DKMS Group as of July 2026. “The DKMS John Hansen Research Grant also enables these highly talented young researchers to build a network to further strengthen their careers and jointly advance the development of lifesaving therapies for blood cancer.”

DKMS: Innovation and commitment to blood cancer research

DKMS is much more than just the world's largest stem cell donor database. With the DKMS Stem Cell Bank, the Clinical Trials Unit, the Collaborative Biobank and the world's most powerful HLA typing laboratory in Dresden, the organization is setting new standards in research and care for blood cancer patients. The DKMS Stem Cell Bank is the world's first and only facility to cryopreserve surplus adult stem cells and make them available for allogeneic transplants – a milestone for patients requiring a quick transplantation. Through international support programs, the non-profit organization is additionally improving access to life-saving blood stem cell transplants worldwide in low- and middle-income countries, where healthcare systems do not cover the cost of treatment.

About John A. Hansen

The grant is named after John A. Hansen (1943–2019), who was a world-renowned oncologist and immunogeneticist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. He was a pioneer in the field of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, improving the efficacy and safety of blood stem cell and bone marrow transplants worldwide.