The German Mass Cytometry Alliance

• Applicants: Dr. Sabine Baumgart; Professor Bertram Bengsch, Ph.D.; Dr. Désirée Kunkel; Dr. Henrik Mei; Dr. Sarah Warth
• Subject Area: Clinical Immunology and Allergology ; Rheumatology
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 518316185

The German Mass Cytometry Network created in 2016 with the support of the DFG, interconnects all German Mass Cytometry Centers to promote the international competitiveness of mass cytometry "Made in Germany". Responding to ist success and growth, we will now form the German Mass Cytometry Alliance (GMCA) to strategically extend and perpetuate the network. Cohesion, exchange and collaboration within GMCA will be achieved by educational events, joint interdisciplinary workshops organized together with other societies, mutual counseling, the annual user meeting, a joint website, a job shadowing program, and community building measures. The implementation of lean governance will create a durable and independent expert organization. Integrated specific projects addressing quality assurance, innovation, and common needs in the German mass cytometry community will promote a collaborative spirit within GMCA, generate practical value for ist members, systematically lower the threshold to mass cytometry for researchers, and strategically strengthen all German mass cytometry labs on international scales. Joint projects include MC and IMC data curation, the support of FAIR principles, improved and harmonized sample preparation protocols, innovative cell sample banking, and establishment of antigen-specific lymphocyte analysis to enable the study specific immune responses in infection, vaccination, cancer, and autoimmunity. Stronger together - inspired by this theme, GMCA will connect German mass cytometry nationally and beyond to strengthen Germany as a motor of single-cell research.

• DFG Programme: Further Instrumentation Related Funding