DKMS Life Science Lab

Providing high-quality HLA genotyping services is the ongoing mission of the DKMS Life Science Lab to help stem cell donor registries, transplant centers, hospitals, and doctors all over the world. DNA extracted from blood or buccal swab (cheek smear) samples is analyzed to determine the exact genetic profiles of the HLA genes. These profiles are essential for matching potential donors to patients needing stem cell transplantation. A high degree of matching between donor and patient HLA genes is required to minimize the risk of complications following transplantation.

Please watch the movie to learn more about our lab.

DKMS Life Science Lab employs the most advanced biotechnological methods to perform high-resolution, high-capacity HLA typing. In 2013, as the world’s first HLA typing lab, we started using novel sequencing technology, NGS, for HLA typing in a truly high throughput and highly parallelized fashion. Over 1 million potential stem cell donors are typed each year using this process.

The clinical lab performs all patient-associated typings (patient, relatives, and confirmatory typing of unrelated donors), while the search unit carries out donor searches for individual patients among both relatives and unrelated potential donors.

We are proud of our highly skilled and motivated employees. Our staff includes internationally recognized specialists in genotyping and related technologies.

To accommodate our growth, we are constantly looking for additional members to complement our team. DKMS career portal

Management team

Dr. med. Dr. rer. nat. Alexander Schmidt
CEO
Responsible for general medicine and science.

Dr. rer. nat. Vinzenz Lange
CTO
Responsible for laboratory technology and automation, bioinformatics, genotyping analysis, IT and R&D.

Thomas Schaefer
COO
Responsible for administration, finances, laboratory management, quality management, customer service, and business development.