Over eleven million in research funding

A major success for clinical-translational research at LMU Medical Center: As part of an initiative to support research-active specialists, the Medical Faculty of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich is receiving 11.8 million euros in funding from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR). The “PROMISE” initiative supports clinically active researchers whose work focuses on the neurosciences. The goal of the funding is to translate groundbreaking research findings into patient care as quickly as possible.

The BMFTR initiative supports the implementation of innovative, model-based concepts for advanced clinician-scientist programs at university-based institutions. “The rapid development of diagnostic and therapeutic options for neurological diseases (including stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease) presents new challenges for research and patient care. This requires an interdisciplinary program that takes up and further develops innovative research approaches,” explains Prof. Dr. Martin Dichgans, spokesperson and one of the four principal investigators of PROMISE.

Funding from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space is intended to support twelve early-career researchers at LMU Medical Center who are engaged in both clinical practice and research (“clinician-scientists”). PROMISE ensures that the competitively selected specialists can balance research with clinical practice as well as family and career, and also offers a comprehensive training and mentoring program. This gives outstanding clinician scientists the opportunity to distinguish themselves in the scientific community and qualify for a professorship or equivalent leadership role in research and patient care.

“This offers successful applicants attractive and, above all, long-term prospects and will help us inspire physicians at the start of their residency to pursue an academic career in university medicine,” says Prof. Dr. Markus M. Lerch, Medical Director and Chairman of the Board of LMU Medical Center.

The new programme is to be integrated into the already established “Medical & Clinician Scientist Programme” (MCSP) for the structured training and support of early-career researchers at LMU’s Faculty of Medicine. “Currently, 42 clinician scientists and eight advanced clinician scientists are already being supported through the MCSP. The Programme for Comprehensive Neuroscience (PROMISE) will strengthen the network of early-career researchers and further expand the existing research focus on neuroscience at the Faculty of Medicine,” explains Prof. Dr Thomas Gudermann, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at LMU Munich.

“For world-class medicine, the close link between patient care and research is essential,” says Prof. Dr Matthias Tschöp, President of Ludwig Maximilian University. “The fact that the BMFTR is supporting us in this endeavour shows that this reality, which is already a reality at LMU, is also recognised and acknowledged in Berlin.”