Funding Cycle XIII of the Roche Organ Transplantation Research Foundation (ROTRF) started with the submission of the Letters of Intent up to 1 October 2004. For the first time, applicants were given the opportunity to apply for conventional or clinical research grants. The response to the new clinical initiative was very positive with about 40% of the total applications submitted in Cycle XIII being applications for clinical research grants. In spring 2005, seven grants for conventional and three grants for clinical research applications were awarded by the ROTRF. The funding provided by the ROTRF continues to support the research of scientists working in the area of organ transplantation in many parts of the world.

The new clinical initiative aims to support research projects using human clinical material and patients, addressing new issues in organ preservation, human transplant pathology and other human transplant problems, and which promise to have a significant impact in the clinical setting in the near future.

For the first time, the ROTRF was present at this year’s American Transplant Congress in Seattle with a Mini-Symposium as well as an information booth. Chaired by ROTRF Trustees Prof. Andrew Bradley and Prof. Allan Kirk, four young investigators gave high-quality presentations on the results achieved during their ROTRF-funded research.

Proof of the excellent work carried out by the ROTRF investigators is demonstrated by the quality of the presentations given at ATC 2005 and at previous European Congresses, the reports included in the Biannual Reports, and the papers published in peer-reviewed journals.

The ROTRF Board of Trustees wishes to thank the ROTRF Scientific Advisory Committee, and the ROTRF grantees for their competent and enthusiastic support contributing to the overall success of the Foundation.

The Foundation would like to express its gratitude to F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd for their generous support without which none of the research carried-out by investigators and the ROTRF activities would have been possible.

Finally, the ROTRF wishes the newly ROTRF-awarded investigators success in pursuing their research objectives.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees

Philip F. Halloran, MD, PhD, OC