Skip to main content
Bioprobenbehälter
Matthias Balk

NAKO

The German National Cohort (NAKO Gesundheitsstudie) is Germany's largest health study. Since 2014, the study prospectively investigates more than 205,000 adults in 18 study centers nation-wide. NAKO is a major resource for population-based epidemiology, aiming to identify new and tailored strategies for early detection, prevention and treatment of major diseases.

The German National Cohort (NAKO Gesundheitsstudie) is Germany's largest health study. Since 2014, the study prospectively investigates more than 205,000 adults in 18 study centers nation-wide. NAKO is a major resource for population-based epidemiology, aiming to identify new and tailored strategies for early detection, prevention and treatment of major diseases. 

About NAKO

NAKO aims to investigate the causes of widespread diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, respiratory and infectious diseases.

Between 2014 and 2019, more than 205,000 men and women aged 20-69 years were recruited from a random sample of the general population and examined in 18 study centers across Germany. The baseline assessment included a wide range of biomedical examinations, an interview, questionnaires and the collection of biosamples such as blood, urine and saliva. In a subgroup of more than 30,000 participants, whole-body 3T magnetic resonance imaging was performed.

All study participants are invited for re-examinations at the study centers in 4-5 year intervals In-between, follow-up information on incident diseases is collected via written questionnaires at 2-3 year intervals and via record linkages.

NAKO is an interdisciplinary endeavor of 27 German scientific institutions, including Helmholtz health centers, universities, institutes of the Leibniz Association and other national research institutions. The study is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the participating federal states and the Helmholtz Association, with additional financial support by the participating universities and the institutes of the Leibniz Association.

 

People at NAKO

Annette Peters

Prof. Dr. Annette Peters

Director of the Institute of Epidemiology View profile
Porträt Thomas Hendel

Dr. Thomas Hendel

Head of Research Management

Dr. Andreas Hörlein

Head of GNC (NAKO) Biorepository
Porträt Cornelia Schiller

Cornelia Schiller

GNC (NAKO) Study Administration
Porträt Julia Six-Merker

Julia Six-Merker

Deputy Head of GNC (NAKO) Biorepository
Porträt Florian Wagner

Florian Wagner

IT and Technology

Michael Dittmann

Finances
Porträt Susanne Goettlicher

Dr. Susanne Göttlicher (née Vogt)

GNC (NAKO) Project Management

Guido Fischer

Data Manager GNC (NAKO) Biorepository

Oliver Riedl

IT Admin and Software Developer (Physicist)

Susanne Beatrix Tippkötter

Technician GNC (NAKO) Biorepository

Miriam Homburg

Technician GNC (NAKO) Biorepository

Rosalba Sinisterra

Technician GNC (NAKO) Biorepository

Xheva Halitaj

Technician GNC (NAKO) Biorepository

Dr. Nina Wawro

Statistician/ Quality Manager

Contact for PI Annette Peters

Porträt Susanne Goettlicher

Dr. Susanne Göttlicher (née Vogt)

GNC (NAKO) Project Management

56/225