Press release by Academic Medical Center Frankfurt
With the first patient providing her biosamples and clinical data, the work of the "Infection Network" has now been launched. The specialist network supports clinical and clinical-epidemiological studies in the field of infection medicine. It is the first specialist network in the Network of University Medicine (NUM) study network.
The aim is to realise clinical studies faster and more effectively. To this end, clinical data and biosamples from patients with infectious diseases are systematically collected at several locations. The resulting cohort forms a valuable basis for advancing medical research in Germany in a targeted manner, developing new therapeutic approaches and being able to react to future pandemic developments at an early stage and in a well-founded manner.
First study launched
A total of 15 university sites are participating in an initial study by the specialist network. The sites will enrol patients in a study cohort by 2030. The first patient has now been recruited at the Academic Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf; she is suffering from an infection with the dengue virus. The Academic Medical Center Frankfurt has also started recruiting patients.
"The start of this study is a great success for clinical infection research in Germany. The data and samples collected will make a decisive contribution to improving the care and treatment of patients with infectious diseases," says Prof Dr Marylyn M. Addo, head of the study at the Academic Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. "Joining forces in the Network of University Medicine enables us to once again be at the forefront of international competition in clinical research. The NUM study network with its specialist networks will make a significant contribution to this," adds Prof Dr Janne Vehreschild, spokesperson forthe study and Director of the Institute for Digital Medicine and Clinical Data Science at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main.
Collaboration is key
The study is based on a modular structure that examines various infectious diseases and their specific subtypes. At the beginning of the study, five major areas of infection research will be focussed on: Respiratory infections, bloodstream infections, infections of the gastrointestinal tract, infections caused by new pathogens and infections of the brain and nervous system. In order to have the necessary information available at an early stage, close co-operation between the participating sites, but also between the specialist departments of a site, is particularly important.
Master study protocol as an important step in infection research
The focus of the specialist network is a "master study protocol", an innovative concept that enables the collection of clinical patient data and biosamples in a standardised and quality-assured manner. It was developed to create a flexible, ready-to-use infrastructure that can adapt dynamically to current scientific challenges. For the first time, it also creates real pandemic preparedness: in the event of an emergency, the network is designed in such a way that it can immediately collect biosamples and data on new pathogens in a standardised and quality-assured manner and share them with the scientific community without any further lead time. These high-quality collections, which are available at an early stage when health crises occur, are essential for providing the best possible care for those affected and for informing political decisions on necessary measures. The master study protocol also helps to recognise changes in the epidemiology of serious infections, such as an increased incidence of pneumonia during a new flu epidemic, at an early stage.
Outlook
With its specialist networks, the NUM study network is setting new standards for national collaboration in clinical research. The biosamples and data obtained are freely available to the scientific community after the applications have been reviewed and thus provide a sound basis for further scientific analyses. As a result, treatment measures can be improved and health care strengthened. Further specialist networks are to be established in the future, and measures for intensive care and stroke medicine are currently being prepared. In addition to the collection of own biosamples and data, structural services are also intended to simplify and accelerate the implementation of clinical studies on new treatment methods at German academic medical centers.
To the press release (German)