About Genome Marketplace

Genome Marketplace gives industry centralized access to commercially interesting results from the German Programme for Medical Genome Research. Its aim is to turn these results into applications quickly and efficiently. Genome Marketplace is managed jointly by Ascenion and Max Planck Innovation, and is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

The German Programme for Medical Genome Research is unique worldwide, and an extension of the National Genome Research Network NGFN-2. The programme brings together scientists from various disciplines to study the causes of particularly common diseases and to develop new therapies and diagnostic methods.

As of 2008, the BMBF has realigned German medical genome research to concentrate more on the major widespread diseases in closer cooperation with industry.

The new Programme for Medical Genome Research comprises two areas. The ‘Integrated Genome Research Networks’ apply human genome research methods and related disciplines to securing a comprehensive molecular understanding of disease processes. Most of these networks carry out research into cancer and neurological diseases. In addition, there are networks that focus on cardiovascular, inflammatory and infectious diseases. In the long term, the results of this research should contribute to the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for diseases that are central to health policy.

The ‘Innovation Alliances for Medical Genome Research’ have been set up to improve the transfer of scientific results from genome research to clinical and industrial applications. In these alliances, academic institutions and companies engaged in research cooperate in developing marketable innovations.