Meeting with The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research
09. January 2026
New York
09. January 2026
New York
Together with the CMCB, SaxoCell e.V. took part in the 10th “Dresden is(s)t bunt” banquet on Dresden’s Neumarkt. The focus was on direct exchange with people from across the city and accessible insights into research shaping the medicine of tomorrow.
On 31 August, Dresden’s Neumarkt in front of the Frauenkirche once again became one large table for encounters and exchange. For the tenth time, the “Dresden is(s)t bunt” banquet, initiated by the Cellex Foundation, brought together citizens and numerous regional organisations from education, culture, society, politics and business to send a joint message for diversity, openness and respectful coexistence.
Sharing food, starting conversations
SaxoCell e.V. shared table 20 with the Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering (CMCB) at TUD Dresden University of Technology. In beautiful late-summer weather, people of different ages and backgrounds came together around the table.
Sharing food formed an essential part of the banquet. The SaxoCell/CMCB team had therefore prepared a wide range of delicious sweet and savoury treats for visitors. Between pastries and science, many personal encounters developed in a relaxed atmosphere, true to the spirit of the event: people share a table, start conversations and discover new perspectives.
Research that sparks curiosity
The colourful question cards at the table attracted particular attention. “Would you take a living drug?” made some visitors stop and think – before the team quickly explained what it means: in certain cell therapies, living cells themselves become the medicine. For example, a patient’s own cells can be specifically modified outside the body and then administered back to the patient, where they can exert their therapeutic effect.
The other questions at the table also invited visitors to explore: What can worms tell us about sleep? Can retinas and brains be grown in the laboratory? What role does heredity play in diabetes? And what could spider legs have to do with the materials of the future? These questions led to many conversations about new approaches in biomedical research and how scientific discoveries can help shape the medicine of tomorrow.
In dialogue with society
This kind of direct exchange with people is an important part of SaxoCell e.V.’s work.
“For us, it is important to be present where people in Saxony come together. As an association, we want to connect science, medicine and society while also standing for diversity, openness and respectful coexistence. The banquet provides a wonderful setting for this.”
Dr Maren Henneken, Treasurer of SaxoCell e.V.
We would like to thank the Cellex Foundation, our colleagues from the CMCB and everyone involved in making the anniversary banquet possible, as well as all visitors for their curiosity and the many inspiring conversations. We are already looking forward to the next time Dresden once again says: “Dresden is(s)t bunt”. 🌈
You can see more photos in our photo archive.
On the evening of June 1, 2026, in the run-up to our SaxoCell Conference 2026, the members of SaxoCell e.V. gathered at the Hilton Hotel in Dresden for the association’s General Assembly.
The meeting was chaired by Martin Bornhäuser, Chairman of SaxoCell e.V., while Ilka Henze, Secretary of the association, recorded the minutes. Representatives from member companies and institutions, including Fresenius, Famicord and the University of Leipzig, joined the meeting alongside many other members of the SaxoCell network.
The General Assembly provided an important platform to review the association’s activities, discuss future priorities, and vote on key organizational matters. Above all, the meeting fostered valuable exchange among members and strengthened the collaborative spirit that defines SaxoCell e.V.
With a growing network and an ambitious agenda, SaxoCell e.V. looks forward to organizing many exciting events, expanding collaborations, and further strengthening the life sciences ecosystem in Saxony and beyond.
We would like to thank all members for their participation and valuable contributions. We look forward to shaping the future of SaxoCell together.
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).