Boris Marte, a leading figure in Austria’s cultural and philanthropic life and a longstanding supporter of IMBA, has passed away. Boris Marte helped establish ERSTE Foundation and served as its CEO for more than a decade. His work spanned culture, education and social inclusion, guided by a belief in a strong civil society and a free, united Europe. Across his endeavors, Boris Marte made use of his unique gift to bring people together to make change possible.

At IMBA, Boris Marte’s commitment found an especially personal expression. Boris Marte’s two children, Josefine and Luis, are affected by Diamond-Blackfan Anemia, a rare and severe blood disorder that impairs the production of red blood cells. Families living with Diamond-Blackfan Anemia face demanding treatments, including repeated blood transfusions, and uncertainty about their children’s futures. Boris Marte responded by initiating a research project to better understand the disease and open paths towards new treatments.

Launched in 2017, the Vienna DBA Project led by Josef Penninger and Javier Martinez brought together researchers at IMBA, with regular exchanges with clinicians at St. Anna Children’s Hospital. Boris Marte’s support over the years helped sustain IMBA’s efforts to investigate a condition that, despite its devastating consequences, remains insufficiently understood. His commitment linked the urgency felt by affected families with the patient work of fundamental research.

The Marte family also made a direct contribution to this work through blood samples spanning three generations. By studying genetic resilience and developing stem-cell models of DBA, researchers seek to understand what disrupts red blood cell formation and what might protect against it. Such knowledge could lay foundations for future therapeutic approaches.

The IMBA community remembers Boris Marte with profound gratitude: as a father who sought answers for his children, a supporter who stood by the institute and its scientists, and a person whose concern reached beyond his own family. While the project at IMBA had come to completion a few years ago, the research lines it opened were carried on at other institutions under the lead of the Medical University of Vienna. Boris Marte remained a friend of the house and joined IMBA events whenever possible.

“Boris Marte helped turn a deeply personal concern into a shared scientific endeavor,” says IMBA Scientific Director Elly Tanaka. “His sustained support and his appreciation of IMBA as a vivid, cutting-edge research institute have helped our researchers to pursue the fundamental questions that must be answered to better understand DBA. We are profoundly grateful for his energetic commitment and will honor his legacy. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family”.