Scientific Concept of the National Cohort (status ... - Nationale Kohorte

C.1
C.1 Annex: Description of the study centers
Description of the institutions responsible for establishing and operating the study
center
The German diabetes Center (DDZ) incorporates three scientific institutes, the Institute for
Clinical Diabetology, the Institute for Clinical Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, and the
Institute for Biometrics and Epidemiology. The DDZ – a member of the Leibniz Association
– is the only institution in Germany where interdisciplinary research areas that span from
the causes and treatment of diabetes to epidemiology and prevention of the disease and
its complications.
The Institute for Clinical diabetology at the DDZ has a special research expertise in
the area of combining multitracer dilution techniques and multinuclear magnetic resonance
spectroscopy (MRS) to non-invasively study metabolic pathways related to insulin resistance
and glucose metabolism. Together with the other institutes it is conducting a large
prospective cohort study of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients that includes extensive
phenotyping of metabolic traits and early markers of diabetic complications. The main
purpose of the Institute of Biometrics and Epidemiology is to generate current populationbased
epidemiologic data on diabetes and its complications. These research goals include
health economics such as cost-effectiveness analyses of diabetes prevention. To achieve
its objectives the Institute builds its own patient collectives (e.g., a nationwide type 1 diabetes
registry) and uses platforms from external partners to implement diabetes-related
research questions (KORA, SHIP). The Institute also has experience in establishing and
analyzing large epidemiologic databases.
The Iuf – leibniz research Institute for Environmental medicine – major expertise is
available in molecular preventive medical research in the area of environmental health. Molecular
mechanisms of premature aging and degenerative diseases and environmentally induced
impairment of immune reactions, especially allergies, are in the center of IUF's work.
At the moment, research activities mainly focus on two environmental noxae: particles and
nonionizing radiation. The internal scientific structure of IUF results from the cooperation of
at present six working groups “cell biology“, “molecular immunology“, “molecular toxicology”,
“particle research“, “epidemiology“, and “molecular aging research“. The working group
“epidemiology” focuses on investigating the pathogenesis and development of respiratory
diseases and allergies in children and premature aging processes and associated diseases
(skin aging, COPD). The group has long-standing experience in conducting and analyzing
epidemiologic studies, beginning in the 1970s.
Description of the study center Duesseldorf
The recruitment of 10,000 study participants will take place in Duesseldorf, including inhabitants
of the city of Duesseldorf (584,000 inhabitants in 2010). A total of 2,000 individuals
will receive an extensive examination (e.g., including MRI and digital imaging of extrinsic
skin aging). The study center will be located at the DDZ and will be run together with the
IUF, which is located nearby. The DDZ can be easily reached by public transportation and is
close to the main central railway station of Duesseldorf (10–15 min). The DDZ study center
will comprise rooms for interviews, examinations, preparation, and storage of biosamples
(in total covering more than 500 m2). The various existing facilities at the DDZ and IUF
(MRI/MRS, technical laboratory, clinical study center, data management, quality control,
training and supervision of investigators) will be embedded in the infrastructure.
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