With this call, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) launches a new Major Instrumentation Initiative that invites proposals for the provision of multimodal Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) instrumentation for medical imaging, diagnostics and therapy at German universities in order to explore the scientific potential of this technology in medical research.

Magnetic Particle Imaging is an imaging technology invented in Germany about 20 years ago, which has quickly gained widespread interest in the international research community. The first decade of MPI research was concerned primarily with the development and evaluation of experimental setups and related image reconstruction methods. This was accompanied by the search for optimised contrast agents. The development of commercial MPI scanners has allowed work to progress towards preclinical research and medical applications in the second decade. A major challenge of tracer-based imaging such as MPI is the lack of anatomical references. This has made it more difficult to plan the acquisition and interpret the images, limiting real-world applications. In this regard, the advent of the second generation of commercially available MPI scanners that combine MPI with morphological imaging, e.g. by CT, promise exciting new applications of this method. Further improvements are additional diagnostic options enabled, for example, by multi-contrast imaging, and the possibility to combine imaging with hyperthermia in situ. A broad range of clinical pathologies can be addressed by the theranostics approach.

The main objective of this call is to support and promote research in the area of Magnetic Particle Imaging in Germany by providing cutting-edge MPI instrumentation. Successful proposals must demonstrate how the impact of the new instrumentation on medical diagnostics and therapy is evaluated. Any medical field might be chosen in the search for relevant applications.

Major Instrumentation Initiatives address universities as applicant institutions. A proposal must be adequately supported by institutional infrastructure and a corresponding institutional concept (cf. DFG form 53.101). The university must appoint a responsible spokesperson for the proposal (only one spokesperson is possible) who, in the event of an approval, will be responsible for coordinating the efficient operation and successful use of the multimodal MPI instrumentation. Proposals must demonstrate the scientific and technical expertise necessary for the successful operation of the equipment and for the proposed research for which the instrumentation will be used. Current and planned research projects that will benefit from the availability of a multimodal MPI scanner should be concisely described; however, funding necessary for the actual scientific research in medical imaging and theranostics is not within the scope of this call.

In addition to the use of the instrumentation for the projects outlined in the proposal, depending on availability, time slots must be open to external research groups, who may have to contribute to the operating costs of the MPI instrumentation accordingly. It is to be explained in the proposal how the operation and use of the instrumentation is to be managed in a scientifically and methodologically efficient manner. In the event of funding, corresponding rules for the operation of and access to the instrumentation must be submitted to the DFG.

The applicant university is responsible for providing adequate support for operation and maintenance. In addition to suitable space and necessary staff for the basic operation of the instrumentation, the applicant university must provide a guarantee to cover the expected costs for operation and maintenance as well as other follow-up costs. Confirmation of this support in the form of a statement by the university should be enclosed along with the proposal (in a separate document). Nevertheless, it is possible to apply (as part of the proposal) for staff and direct costs dedicated to the specific aims of this Major Instrumentation Initiative for a period of up to five years, e.g. for establishing work flows, optimising data acquisition/image reconstruction, validation and calibration work, and/or for supporting external users. Funding for workshops and public relations related to Magnetic Particle Imaging research can also be requested. 

Universities interested in submitting a proposal are encouraged to send a non-binding letter of intent by e-mail to wgi@dfg.de by 14 March 2025 with the subject “Major Instrumentation Initiative 2025 LOI [university]”. The letter must contain the name of the prospective responsible spokesperson and a non-binding list of the groups who will be involved in the proposal, as well as the intended fields of application. Please also list relevant collaboration partners to help us identify possible conflicts of interest.

Proposal Submission

Proposals must be written in English and submitted to the DFG by 4 June 2025. 

Please note that proposals can only be submitted via elan, the DFG’s electronic proposal processing system. To submit a proposal in response to this call, go to “Proposal Submission – New Project/Draft Proposal – Scientific Instrumentation and Information Technology – Major Instrumentation Initiative“ and select “Multimodal Magnetic Particle Imaging” from the current list of calls.

Proposals must be prepared using the project description template (DFG form 53.101) and following the programme guidelines (DFG form 21.7, sections I and III). These forms can either be downloaded from our website or accessed through the elan portal.

All documents need to be in English; the DFG’s guidelines for preparing publication lists (DFG form 1.91, version 2022) apply.

The spokesperson must be registered in elan prior to submitting a proposal to the DFG. If this is the first time you are submitting a proposal to the DFG, please note that you must register in the elan portal before you can submit your proposal. You must do so by 28 May 2025. 

Further Information

Detailed information on the programme and on other Major Instrumentation Initiatives: www.dfg.de/wgi/en

When submitting proposals, please use the elan portal and refer to the respective DFG forms (guidelines 21.7 and template 53.101). The FAQ on Proposal Submission may also be helpful.

E-mail address to send the non-binding letter of intent to: wgi@dfg.de

Privacy Policy

We, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation), take the protection of your personal data and its confidential treatment extremely seriously. Therefore, please refer to the DFG’s Privacy Policy. If you intend to transmit personal data of third parties, please make sure to do so only if the necessary legitimation under data protection law exist. Before transmitting data of third parties to the DFG, please forward the DFG’s Data Protection Notice to the individuals affected (data subjects). If there is a legitimate interest not to inform individuals beforehand (e.g. for reasons of secrecy or in case of a nomination or candidate proposal), these individuals should be informed no later than at the time of publication.