Allergic Disease Epidemiology

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We investigate the longitudinal development of common chronic diseases, focusing on allergic diseases, such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis. In this context, we examine the roles of environmental and life-style factors, genetic markers, and metabolic processes.

The research group Allergic Disease Epidemiology aims to investigate how our environment and life-style play a role in the onset and progression of common chronic health problems, with a focus on allergic diseases.

We apply epidemiological statistical modelling techniques to understand the complex interplay of environmental and life-style factors with metabolic and immunological processes, and further, to determine whether their associations with chronic diseases are caused or modified by genetic variants.

The group uses data from questionnaires and biosamples collected in two ongoing birth cohort studies (GINIplus and LISA). These data, covering the period from birth to young adulthood, can be combined with information collected in the adult KORA study, allowing for a life-course approach.

Applying an epidemiological life-course approach, we aim to describe the natural course and trends in prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases. Especially since allergic diseases differ with regard to timing of onset, progression and remission, their development and trajectories are important aspects of growing interest.

Entwicklungs- und Wachstumsschritte eines Gänseblümchens, grüner Hintergrund und Sonnenschein.

Exposures during early childhood and genetic predisposition can impact the development of the immune system and the onset of allergic diseases. We aim to identify and quantify these within the German GINIplus and LISA birth cohorts.

Our goal is to better understand how allergic diseases are influenced by life-style (e.g. diet, physical activity), environment (e.g. neighborhood and build environment characteristics, greenness and air pollution), genetic and metabolic factors, and their interplay.

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We further aim to disentangle allergic diseases from frequently-associated comorbidities, such as adiposity and mental health, and their determinants.

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Dr. Marie Standl

Head of Research Group 'Allergic Disease Epidemiology', Head (ad interim) of Research Group 'Lung Epidemiology', Statistician

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Ines Trentinaglia

Data Manager

Miriam Leskien

PhD Student

Pia-Marie Keim

Dr. Carla Harris

Postdoc

Dr. Elaine Fuertes

Senior Scientist

Dr. Elisabeth Thiering

Postdoc, Statistician

Franziska Kirchner

Doctoral Student

Sonja Braun

Doctoral Student

Rebecca Braun

Projectmanagement

Kolja Siebert

Postdoc

Patricia Grill

PhD Student

Peizhen Hong

PhD Student

Funded by EU | 2023-2027
BETTER4U is a 4-year Horizon Europe funded project that aims to develop, evaluate, and promote evidence-based and sustainable personalized lifestyle interventions to prevent and address the widespread increase in obesity and weight gain.

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Funded by ERC Starting Grant | 2021-2026
ALLERGENE aims to understand the complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, and to identify the mechanisms that distinguish between young adults free of allergic diseases and those suffering from allergic multimorbidity. ALLERGENE will enhance the understanding of how modifiable factors contribute to allergic disease aetiology. This will be an essential prerequisite to develop effective early intervention strategies for susceptible populations and to identify disease-specific biomarkers for the development and progression of allergic diseases in the future. This project is financed by an ERC starting grant awarded to Marie Standl.

Funded by DFG | 2021-2026
The project aims to understand whether early-life risk factors determine the levels of steroid hormones (both adrenal and gonadal) in adolescence, and how these hormones, in turn, relate to metabolism and cardiometabolic health outcomes.

Corona Virus im Inneren des Körpers - Wuhan Virus

Funded by DFG | 2021 - 2025
The aim of COVGENAIR is to assess the role of chronic diseases, environmental and genetic variation and their interplay on the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 and the long-term post-COVID-19 health outcomes in the respiratory, cardiometabolic, and neurological systems.

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Since 2010
The Early Genetics and Lifecourse Epidemiology Consortium is a consortium of pregnancy and birth cohorts that aims to collaborate to investigate the genetic basis of phenotypes in antenatal, early life, and childhood. EAGLE covers a broad range of pathways and phenotypes.

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Logo_egg Early Growth Genetics Consortium

Since 2010
The Early Growth Genetics (EGG) Consortium exists to facilitate joint analysis of genetic data from multiple studies to identify human genomic loci that impact a variety of human traits related to early growth (fetus to young adult). By conducting our collaborative studies, we aim to improve understanding of underlying biological mechanisms, causal factors, and related health outcomes. As well as sharing data, we aim to share expertise and skills and to enhance opportunities for early career researchers.

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GINIplus

The GINIplus study is an ongoing, long-term, population-based prospective birth cohort study covering two regions in Germany. The aim of the GINIplus study is to describe health and disease development from infancy to young adulthood, specifically allergic diseases and to assess the impact of different feeding regimens in infancy, environmental exposures, life-style factors and genetic predisposition.

GINIplus

LISA

The LISA study is an ongoing, long-term, population-based prospective birth cohort study covering four regions of Germany. The aims of the LISA study are to monitor the development and natural course of atopic diseases and to investigate the influence of life-style and environmental factors.

LISA

Jeong A, Lovison G, Bussalleu A, Cirach M, Dadvand P, de Hoogh K, Flexeder C, Hoek G, Imboden M, Karrasch S, [...], Pickford R, Shen Y, Vermeulen RCH, Vlaanderen JJ, Vogli M, Wolf K, Yu Z, Melén E, Pac A, Peters A, Schikowski T, Standl M, Gehring U, Probst-Hensch N.

Lung function-associated exposome profile in the era of climate change: Pooled analysis of 8 population-based European cohorts within the EXPANSE project

Budu-Aggrey A, Kilanowski A, Sobczyk MK, [...], Standl M, Paternoster L.

European and multi-ancestry genome-wide association meta-analysis of atopic dermatitis highlights importance of systemic immune regulation

Kilanowski A, Thiering E, Wang G, [...], Peters A, Standl M.

Allergic disease trajectories up to adolescence: Characteristics, early-life, and genetic determinants

Kilanowski A, Chen J, Everson T, Thiering E, Wilson R, Gladish N, Waldenberger M, Zhang H, Celedón JC, Burchard EG, Peters A, Standl M, Hüls A.

Methylation risk scores for childhood aeroallergen sensitization: Results from the LISA birth cohort

Gappa M, Filipiak-Pittroff B, Libuda L, [...], Standl M.

Long-term effects of hydrolyzed formulae on atopic diseases in the GINI study