In an exciting development for 2024, our colleague Dr. Birte Seffert embarks on a nationwide tour to meet with the Klaus Tschira Boost Fund Fellows across Germany. The Keeping Up with the Boost Fellows series aims to shine a spotlight on the journeys, challenges, and achievements of our Fellows. 

Nestled at the northern fringes of the city, lies a hub of medical research institutes, hospitals, and biotech companies. It is home to two Boost Fellows, whom Birte has met individually, and sharing lunch with them.

First, let’s meet Inmaculada Martínez Reyes, a Postdoc at the Max Delbrück Center since summer 2019.

Inmaculada’s research focuses on how the immune system identifies cancer cells. She aims to find the most effective targets for cancer immunotherapy. While different types of immunotherapies have greatly improved cancer treatments, they still have limitations, especially in patients with solid tumors. Using her knowledge of cancer metabolism and tumor immunology, Inmaculada investigates how changing metabolic processes in tumor cells and T-cells might enhance treatment outcomes.

Inmaculada introduced Birte to her project and let her understand the steps, processes, and costs of her research on the metabolomics of cancer immunology – and what the Boost Fund did for her.

What drives the costs of your research?

Experimental Costs: My research involves CRISPR screens, which are key to answering one of the central questions behind my project. This method is labor-intensive and requires expensive materials, including specific libraries targeting a wide range of genes. We also study gene expression at single-cell resolution. This powerful technology helps us understand the diversity of cell behaviors and potentially identify rare cell types within tumors. However, it comes at a high cost since reagents are quite expensive.

Laboratory Operations and Ressource Management: In addition to experimental expenses, sequencing and metabolomics analysis significantly contribute to the budget. To manage these costs effectively, we leverage core facilities at the MDC or the Berlin Institute of Health. I have also established collaborations that were certainly beneficial, despite challenges related to time and resource constraints.

What did teh Boost Fund make possible for you?

It allowed me to combine my expertise in metabolism from my previous postdoc and PhD with expertise in tumor immunology here at the Max Delbrück Centre. I don’t think I could have established these projects without the KT Boost. Sure, you have the support of your PI, and you can apply for grants, but to be successful in these applications, you need preliminary data – and for that, you need resources of your own.

The KT Boost Fund is a joint program of GSO and the Klaus Tschira Foundation for postdoctoral researchers in the Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer Science. It offers flexible funding for risky and interdisciplinary research on the way to academic independence. Funding can be used to hire staff, buy equipment, or build collaborations – tailored to the research project.