SaxoCell e.V.
Fetscherstraße 105
01307 Dresden
Deutschland
Contact
Tel: +49 (0) 351 458 82014
Fax: +49 (0) 351 458 82059
E-Mail: press@saxocell.de
Internet: www.saxocellverein.de
Association registration number:
VR 14923
Register court:
Amtsgericht Dresden
Chairpersons:
Prof. Dr. Martin Bornhäuser
Dr. Maren Henneken
Ilka Henze
Technische Umsetzung der Website
SaxoCell e.V.
Implementation: Mariam Sayed
E-Mail: press@saxocell.de
German-American alliance for future medicine: SaxoCell e.V. launches strategic cooperation with the Mark Foundation
Funding: BMBF INITIATES: RESEARCH WITH NORTH AMERICA
Title: SMAC-GT: SaxoCell and Mark Foundation Alliance for Cell and Gene Therapy – SaxoCell & Mark Foundation Partnership
As part of the SMAC-GT project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space, SaxoCell e.V. is expanding its international collaboration with the renowned Mark Foundation for Cancer Research. The aim of the collaboration is to provide strategic impetus for the further development of modern cell and gene therapies and to strengthen transatlantic research networks in the long term.
The first highlight of this new partnership is a trip to New York by a high-ranking delegation from SaxoCell e.V.: Martin Bornhäuser, Frank Buchholz, Ulrike Köhl, Maren Henneken, and Lorenz Mayr will hold an intensive workshop there on January 9 with the Mark Foundation to discuss their joint research agenda. This meeting marks the starting point for deeper cooperation, which has already been prepared in several online sessions.
Further workshops and symposia are planned in the USA and Germany in the coming project phases to consolidate and expand cooperation. In addition, key international conferences such as the ASH Annual Meeting (January 2026) and the ASGCT Annual Meeting (May 2027) will be used for this purpose. On the German side, the SaxoCell Conference in June 2026 offers an ideal platform for exchange with American partners.
These targeted meetings and networking formats are intended to attract new cooperation partners and further strengthen the scientific basis for future innovations in cell and gene therapy.
About the Mark Foundation
The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research is an independent US foundation based in New York that is passionately committed to funding groundbreaking cancer research.
Its approach is flexible, risk-taking, and impact-driven: it supports both basic and translational research—from individual scientists to interdisciplinary teams to early-stage startups—with grants and venture investments.
Since its foundation in 2017, the Mark Foundation has awarded over $275 million to more than 110 institutions in approximately 18 countries. Its programs range from ASPIRE Awards for high-risk/high-reward projects to drug discovery funding and long-term team science projects.
With this strong international orientation and a clear focus on innovation, the Mark Foundation accelerates the development of new therapeutic and diagnostic approaches, thereby shortening the path from idea to application.
Home | The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research
SaxoCell (SC) delegation at the Mark Foundation (MF) in New York. From left to right: Becky Bish (MF), Martin Bornhäuser (SC), Frank Buchholtz (SC), Lorenz Mayr (SC), Ulrike Köhl (SC), Maren Henneken (SC), Ryan Schoenfeld (MF), and Raymond N. DuBois (MF).