Gene therapy has shown promising efficiency in particular for the treatment of inherited immunological deficiencies. Its broader use, however, is currently precluded by the occurrence of adverse events which revealed the urgent need for a better understanding of the basic mechanisms of gene delivery into somatic cells. To form a multidisciplinary scientific forum addressing this important topic, the German Research Council (DFG; www.dfg.de) has created the Research Priority Programme "Mechanisms of gene vector entry and persistence". Since 2006 two waves of funding support projects investigating basic mechanisms of cell entry, episomal maintenance or chromosomal insertion of transgenes, and the cellular and systemic responses to genetic cell modification. While one part of projects investigates the interaction of vectors with their target cells (Area Vector Fate), the other part aims to understand the processes determining the fate of gene-modified cells in the organism, especially in the context of blood & immune cell formation (Area Cell Fate). Numerous internal and external interactions ensure the coherence and timeliness of this priority programme, in which virology, cell biology, haematology, bioinformatics and mathematical modelling form the concert of contributing disciplines. The overall aim of this network is to improve efficiency, predictability and biosafety of genetic therapy targeting hematopoietic cells. This webpage provides you with an overview of current projects and participating institutions.
For further information on Research Priority Programmes of the DFG, see (www.dfg.de/forschungsfoerderung/koordinierte_
programme/schwerpunktprogramme/liste/spp_gesamt.html).