Cohorts & biobanks

Currently, data on ~5,000 Leipzig children and their parents and siblings with ~3,500 annual examinations. Broad and deep phenotyping including under-researched areas (e.g. dental health, vision, voice and language acquisition). Study methodology ranges from state-of-the-art interviews to geo-referenced environmental data, mobile sensing, 3D body scanning, and biosampling of blood (sera, DNA, RNA, cells), urine, stool, hair, placenta, and breast milk and multiple molecular ~omic traits.
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Largest nationwide registry for anthropometrics in Europe fed by pediatric practices and clinics, active since 2004. Repeat data on 936,000 children from birth to >18 years (~5 Mill. observations) allows exploration of longitudinal trajectories and secular trends.
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Longitudinal cohort (n=17,640) based on the nationally representative “German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents”. Provides normative and reference data.
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Population-based cohort study of 10,000 adults from Leipzig (baseline 2011, follow-ups 2016-2020). Broad and deep phenotyping of mainly civilization diseases complementary to LIFE Child.
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Longitudinal cohort of 629 mother-child pairs prenatally recruited in Leipzig in 2006-2008 with ongoing follow-up. Focus on impact of environment and lifestyle on allergy and other outcomes. Integrating observations and experimental models to decipher mechanisms. LINK

Cross-sectional and longitudinal assessments focusing on physical activity and motor skills covering 60% of Leipzig’s elementary schools. Data linkage to the Public Health Authority’s school entry examinations. LINK

Since 2000, Leipzig-wide registry of children from 20 elementary schools and 170 childcare centers for research purposes, used by University Leipzig.

Novel real-life, operational child care facility hosting 80 children throughout the year. Equipped with FaceReader, EyeTracker, and TrackLab technology for researching psychosocial interactions.

Unique collection of >560 adipose tissue samples of children (0-18 years) including clinical and biological characterization (tissue composition, adipogenic and metabolic function, inflammation, omics).

Paired visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue samples from >5,600 donors with complementary clinical metabolic (calorimetry, oral glucose tolerance tests, MRI) and biological characterization

Large tissue biobanks including maternal blood and isolated cells, cord blood, placenta samples, placenta and mesenchymal primary cells.

>2300 children with obesity, longitudinal follow-up to 10 years, with detailed metabolic phenotyping, including oral glucose tolerance tests.

>3,000 cases with intrauterine growth retardation followed from 10 weeks gestation. Assessment of biomarkers, pharmacokinetics, inflammatory response, and brain growth (3D-scanning data).

Cohort of >400 patients with monogenic and polygenic type I interferonopathies including biomaterial collection (blood, sera, DNA).

Registry of hospitalized pediatric COVID-19 and Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome (PIMS) patients in Germany, patient characteristics and outcomes, building a long-term cohort on sequelae.

Jointly encompassing >5400 children and ~1000 teachers from Saxonian schools and kindergartens, all actively recruiting with follow-ups, funded by the Free State of Saxony (1.95 M €).

Cohort of more than 60,000 newborns in Saxony screened for risk genes in type 1 diabetes.

Accelerated longitudinal cohort of autistic individuals aged 6-30 years compared to typically developing, age-matched individuals; includes a group with mild to moderate intellectual disability. LINK