Kivonat:
Aging disorders pose an increasing challenge for the public health care systems in Europe. An important approach to cope with this task is the identification of relevant novel disease genes and the control of risk factors using new technological capabilities. A key element in this process is the availability of well classified, large enough patient cohorts and the establishment of quality-controlled central banks for DNA, serum, plasma, and cells/tissues/RNA/proteins together with the development of an IT based infrastructure to provide samples and data required for biomedical studies. The Danubian Biobank initiative connects universities, associated teaching hospitals and endpoint-related rehabilitation clinics along the Danube river and in neighbouring regions. The scientific network focuses on diabetes-related endpoints, vascular disease (e.g. myocardial infarction, stroke, arterial thrombosis, kidney failure), metabolic disease (e.g. obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome), and neurodegenerative disorders (e.g. dementia syndromes, Parkinsonism). Task forces are set up for the relevant topics of the biobank project including patient recruitment, sample and data management, public health, epidemiology and genetics, enabling technologies, and research strategies. The project aims to select the most relevant and promising scientific targets utilizing the core competences developed in the individual partner institutions. For this purpose a series of dedicated workshops and conferences are organized as well as joint research grant proposals are submitted.
