Spark-Bih

SPARK-BIH supports translational projects by scientists and clinicians at all career levels from the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH) and Charité. The program helps to accelerate and validate scientific inventions for the development of novel therapies and preventives (such as small molecules, ATMPs, vaccines, biologicals), medical devices and diagnostics, as well as the repurposing of existing drugs for new indications. SPARK-BIH seeks to empower project teams and innovators to overcome the challenges of translation by providing funding, education, mentoring, expert advice and entrepreneurship support. The SPARK-BIH program was founded in 2015 by Prof. Craig Garner and Prof. Ulrich Dirnagl in Berlin and is based on the successful SPARK program developed at Stanford University. Since 2018, it is part of the BIH- In 2023, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) commissioned the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH) to develop a National Strategy for Gene- and Cell-Based Therapies (GCT). Around 150 experts from various stakeholder groups collaborated to create the paper and develop a roadmap to improve healthcare and strengthen Germany's position in the field of gene- and cell-based therapies. These innovative therapies offer promising possibilities for treating or even curing severe and rare diseases, as they are tailored to individual patients. Join our international network if you want to: • Receive funding to de-risk your project • Become educated on drug and medical device development • Give/get advice from industry, academic experts • Give/get advice on licensing, partnering, clinical trial design and start-ups • Gain/give access to investors and experts in business development and commercialization Follow us here as well: