As part of its Quantum Technologies research project, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF – Federal Ministry for Education and Research) has launched a new funding call to support research and development projects dedicated to the development of medical diagnostics or treatment methods based on photonics or quantum technologies. The call supports collaborative pre-competitive joint projects that contribute to the development of technologies for completely new or significantly improved solutions for medicine or medical biotechnology. The focus is on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches with a high level of scientific risk.

Depending on the research objectives of the proposed research projects, funding is provided within the framework of two modules. Module A supports projects based on the application-specific combination of two or more different processes from photonics and quantum technologies as well as other fields of technology. At least one of the methods used must be related to photonics or quantum technologies.  Module B addresses, in particular, research into quantum-based effects as well as new photonic methods for new, fundamental application perspectives in medicine or medical biotechnology.

Projects must bring together multiple partners in a research consortium. Eligible for funding are institutions of higher education, (university) hospitals, research institutes and commercial businesses in Germany.

Projects are supported over a period of three years. Institutions of higher education and non-commercial research institutes can generally expect to receive full funding. The overall funding levels of the research consortium may however vary in line with the make-up of the consortium and the funding module.

Applicant consortia initially submit an outline proposal for evaluation. In the case of positive feedback, the selected consortia are then invited to submit their formal funding application.