Press Release

SA scientists invited to apply for €120,000 DKMS Impact Grant

Applications are open for the DKMS Impact Grant 2027, which will support early-career physicians and scientists developing locally driven solutions to improve haematology care across Africa.

18/07/2026

Patients with malignant and non-malignant haematological diseases around the world face barriers to timely diagnosis, treatment, management of complications and supportive care. These barriers are often most pronounced in regions where research funding and specialist infrastructure are limited.

South Africa, with its established medical and scientific research base, is well positioned to help close these gaps. Research and healthcare initiatives developed locally have the potential to improve access to haematology care for patients across the African continent.

To address this, DKMS, an international non-profit organisation dedicated to the fight against blood cancer, has established the DKMS Impact Grant, a funding programme supporting locally driven research and healthcare initiatives in Central and South America, Africa, and South and Southeast Asia. The grant is aimed at early-career physicians and scientists working within these healthcare systems.

Applications for the DKMS Impact Grant 2027 are now open. Through its foundation, DKMS Stiftung Leben Spenden, the organisation will fund up to three projects with up to €120,000 over two years (€60,000 annually), with the possibility of a two-year extension following a positive evaluation. Selected projects may also receive free access to diagnostic services such as HLA typing, along with support from DKMS specialists.

Projects may focus on generating actionable knowledge through research or on implementing sustainable solutions that improve access to diagnosis, treatment, management of complications, supportive care and health system capacity for patients with haematological diseases. The application process consists of two stages: applicants first submit a Letter of Intent, after which selected candidates will be invited to submit a full proposal.

"Outstanding ideas are not limited by geography or resources. Through the DKMS Impact Grant, we want to empower physicians and scientists who understand the challenges in their healthcare systems best and enable them to develop solutions that create lasting benefits for patients. By investing in local innovation, we hope to improve access to haematology care where it is needed most," says Professor Dr Thomas Klingebiel, Member of the Board of Trustees and long-standing consultant to the DKMS.

Applications close on 31 August 2026. Further information, eligibility criteria and application documents are available at DKMS Professionals’ Platform. Interested applicants may contact DKMS at impact-grant@dkms.org.

About DKMS

DKMS is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the fight against blood cancer. It was founded in Germany in 1991 by Dr. Peter Harf and DKMS together with the organization’s over 1,200 employees and has since relentlessly pursued the aim of giving as many patients as possible a second chance at life. With over 13 million registered donors, DKMS has succeeded in doing this more than 115,000 times to date by providing blood stem cell donations to those in need. This accomplishment has led to DKMS becoming the global leader in the facilitation of unrelated blood stem cell transplants. The organization has offices in Germany, the US, Poland, the UK, Chile, India and South Africa.

DKMS is also heavily involved in the fields of medicine and science, with its own research unit focused on continually improving the survival and recovery rate of patients. In its high-performance laboratory, the DKMS Life Science Lab, the organization sets worldwide standards in the typing of potential blood stem cell donors.

DKMS Africa received its WMDA certification in 2025, cementing its position as South Africa’s biggest and most diverse stem cell donor registry.