Medicon Village contributes to new European training programme for advanced therapies
A new European initiative aims to strengthen the next generation of researchers working in advanced cell and gene therapies. Led by Fondazione Telethon and supported by approximately €6 million in funding from the European Commission through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie COFUND scheme, the BEYOND programme will support 35 postdoctoral fellowships over the next five years.
BEYOND is designed to address the growing need for expertise in Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs), one of the most rapidly developing areas of biomedical innovation. The programme will provide researchers with training across the entire development pathway – from basic research and translational science to manufacturing, regulation and patient access.
The initiative is coordinated by Fondazione Telethon together with its research institutes, the San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget) in Milan and the Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) in Pozzuoli. It is delivered in partnership with Lund Stem Cell Center at Lund University, the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute at the University of Cambridge and the National Institute of Chemistry in Ljubljana.
Of the 35 fellowships, 20 will be hosted by Fondazione Telethon's institutes, while the remaining positions will be distributed among the partner organisations, including six fellowships at Lund Stem Cell Center.
As an associated partner, Medicon Village will contribute to the programme through its extensive life science network and expertise in innovation and entrepreneurship. Together with other non-academic partners, Medicon Village will help provide training opportunities, industry engagement and intersectoral career development experiences for participating researchers.
The associated partners collectively represent a network of more than 200 biotechnology companies, creating valuable opportunities for fellows to gain insights into innovation, commercialisation and the broader ecosystem required to bring new therapies from the laboratory to patients.
The programme was selected through the highly competitive Marie Skłodowska-Curie COFUND 2025 call, where only 31 projects were funded from 136 applications. According to Fondazione Telethon, BEYOND will offer fellows an integrated training experience that combines research excellence, international collaboration, transferable skills development and exposure to both academic and industry environments.
With its strong international network and focus on translational research, BEYOND aims to strengthen Europe's position in advanced therapies while helping accelerate the development of innovative treatments that can make a meaningful difference for patients.
The first call for applications opened on 1 May 2026 and closes on 30 June, 2026.
For more information, read the press announcement from Fondazione Telethon, or visit www.beyond-cofund.eu.
You may also contact, Francesco Bez, Innovation Manager at Medicon Village Innovation, francesco.bez@mediconvillage.se.