European funding for reproduction research—A multinational perspective

Funds from the European Union are not the only source available to the continent's reproductive research community. Each country independently sponsors the work of these scientists, but, as illustrated by snapshots in the following pages, there are huge differences in the commitment of the various European nations to tackle the challenges of reproductive biomedicine.

In recent years, reproductive biology and medicine have not been the main focus of research funding in Germany. Research on human embryos is strictly forbidden according to the German Embryo Protection Law, but there is excellent reproductive research in animal models. This quality has been recognized by the German Research Foundation— the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)—and several projects in these models have therefore been funded in the past few years.

A three-year project coordinated in Essen to study epigenetic aspects of assisted reproduction was awarded ∼€1.3 million in 2006. In Giessen, there is a Clinical Research Unit on male factor infertility resulting from impaired spermatogenesis, which has €1.1 million in funds. Smaller projects in reproductive biology are funded by individual grants from the DFG, such as a research program on mechanisms of embryo-maternal communication based in Munich, and some universities provide support in local scientific priority programs.

However, the most important contribution to research in reproductive biology in Germany by far is the new research group on 'the germ cell potential', coordinated in Münster. Ten projects from closely linked groups based all over Germany have a total of €3.4 million for the next three years to study, among other topics, in vitro maturation of gametes.

Aside from public funding, there are no private foundations with a focus on reproduction. This might be a reflection of the importance that research in reproductive bio medicine has in Germany's public opinion.

Finally, in terms of international funds, some German groups are part of the European Network of Excellence on Embryo Implantation Control, supported by the 6^th Framework Programme of the European Commission.

In times of increasing infertility problems, the growing importance of reproductive medicine in Germany has been acknowledged, as far as clinical assisted reproductive techniques are concerned. A recent demoscopic study of the Berlin Institute for Population and Development underlined the strong acceptance of infertility treatment in German society and gained a high grade of public interest. However, more public support for research to optimize medical treatment is imperative. For example, aside from individual grants for university research groups, Germany's Federal Ministry for Education and Research has no nationwide framework program or initiative specifically dedicated to reproductive biology. Strategic support of this kind is urgently needed.