IDM | Helmholtz Munich

The primary research goal of the Institute of Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases is the individualized prediction of diabetes risk and diabetes prevention and its personalized therapy.

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The young man at the doctor's office signs the documents.

Fritsche Lab

Stefan Lab

Weigert Lab

Preissl Lab

Birkenfeld Lab

Clinical study center

The clinical study center manages all clinical studies of the IDM according to the regulations of the German pharmaceutical law (Arzneimittelgesetz-AMG) and Medical Associations Professional Code of Conduct (Berufsordnung, BO). Due to our longstanding experience, the Clinical Study Center team supports the principal investigators in the planning phase of the study with writing and handling of the study protocols to the relevant authorities.

Female physician listening to her patient during consultation

Islet Facility

Our scientific focus is on beta cell function and failure: the role and molecular mechanisms of fat overload and FFA signaling.

Other research topics include cross-organ conversations: interactions of islet cells with liver - adipose tissue - brain.

Clinical Chemistry Lab

The DZD Clinical Chemistry lab is the central analytical platform for metabolism-related biomarkers in multicenter studies of the DZD. The aim is to achieve a continuous comparability of clinical study results between different sites within the DZD.

Diabetes concept with insulin, syringe, vials, pills, and stethoscope.

Ongoing trial

Gestational diabetes (GDM) defined as any degree of glucose intolerance first diagnosed during pregnancy. It is one of the major pregnancy complications and untreated it leads to fetal overgrowth, macrosomic newborns and related birth complications. The mother has a very high risk for the development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life. The offspring is at high risk for obesity and impaired glucose tolerance or even diabetes starting already in early childhood. Even if GDM is detected and successfully treated the fetus has been exposed to elevated glucose levels for the first months of pregnancy. A long-term impact on the health of mother and child is likely. To elucidate the impact of treated GDM on mother and child the PREG study has been initiated. The study is a multicenter prospective cohort study conducted in six sites of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), with the lead center being Tübingen.

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Ongoing trial

So far, the origin of obesity, regardless of an existing positive energy balance, is not fully understood. In addition to environmental factors, the genetic background plays an important role in the pathogenesis of obesity. Common genetic polymorphisms, variants in the fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO) locus have the highest effect size on body weight. Animal and first clinical studies indicate that FTO variants interact with dopamine signaling in the brain, thus contributing to the risk for overweight. In fact, preliminary results indicate that enhancing dopamine signaling with the dopamine agonist bromocriptine, depending on the FTO genotype, either induces weight loss or has a neutral effect on body weight.

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Ongoing study

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its complications are a challenge for health care systems as the numbers increases constantly. T2D occurs when insulin secretion from pancreatic beta-cells cannot sufficiently compensate for insulin resistance. To improve insulin secretion is essential in treatment and prevention of diabetes. Up to now, lifestyle intervention or pharmacological trials did not show an improvement of insulin secretion. However, one recent small human trial shows that intermittent fasting is able to improve insulin secretion. The IFIS study will investigate the effectiveness of 4 weeks of intermittent fasting on changes in insulin secretion capacity in people with prediabetes and the people with diabetes.

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doctor with glucometer and patient at hospital

Ongoing study

The goal of the Tübingen Diabetes Mellitus Database TUEDID is a structured collection of data on people affected by diabetes mellitus. In addition, supplementary examinations are carried out which make it possible to answer further questions about the role of diabetes in different organ systems. These data will be compared with those of people without diabetes mellitus. Since this is an open cohort, the number of study participants is not limited.

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Obesity overweight diabetes fitness abdomen adult background

The prediabetes lifestyle intervention study (PLIS) was a stratified randomized multi-center trial involving eight study sites in Germany. The primary hypothesis was that individuals with prediabetes who have a high risk for a failure to restore normal glucose regulation with conventional lifestyle intervention (LI) will benefit from an intensification of the LI.

Speaker Giving a Talk at Business Meeting.

IDM, March 20, 2023

The upcoming DZD workshop will take place in Tübingen on March 22/23 and is organized by the IDM Tübingen.

Different talks and posters will provide an overview on the latest results and exciting projects.

IDM, January 16, 2023

IDM, January 12, 2023

In a highly competitive procedure, the Group Metabolic Imaging at the IDM was approved by the DFG for 3 years of funding.

Diabetes Kongress 2022 | 25. Mai - 28. Mai 2022 | Berlin

Awards & Grants, Diabetes, IDM, June 02, 2022

Helmholtz Munich scientist Stephanie Kullmann is awarded this year's Ferdinand Bertram Award of the German Diabetes Society (DDG). With this award, the DDG honors her research on the role of central nervous processes in the prevention and treatment…

IDM, June 01, 2022

In a highly competitive procedure, 2 Research Training Groups in Tübingen were approved by the DFG for 5 years of funding.

Prof. Dr. Andreas Birkenfeld

Director of Insitute, Medical doctor View profile

Prof. Dr. Andreas Fritsche

Medical doctor, Senior scientist View profile

Prof. Dr. Hubert Preissl

Senior scientist

Prof. Dr. Reiner Jumpertz-von Schwartzenberg

Medical doctor, Scientist

Prof. Dr. Cora Weigert

Senior scientist View profile

Dr. Louise Fritsche

Senior scientist View profile

PD Dr. Jürgen Machann

Senior scientist View profile

Prof. Dr. Erwin Schleicher

Senior scientist

Prof. Dr. Ferruh Artunc

Medical doctor, Senior scientist

Prof. Dr. Andreas Peter

Medical doctor, Senior scientist

Prof. Dr. Dorothea Siegel-Axel

Senior scientist

Prof. Dr. Rainer Lehmann

Senior scientist

PD Dr. Felicia Gerst

Senior scientist

Dr. Simon Dreher

Scientist

Dr. Corinna Dannecker

Scientist

Dr. Ralf Veit

Senior scientist

Dr. Franziska Schleger

Senior scientist

Maike Borutta

Lisa Ulmer

Ingrid Rösch

Administrative Assistant

Karin Waneck

Timm Oliver Larbig

Technician

Dr. Dorothea Baumann

Medical doctor

Dr. Anja Moller

Medical doctor, Senior scientist

Dr. Bernhard Bohnert

Medical doctor, Scientist

Dr. Ellen Kern

Medical doctor

Prof. Dr. Nils Heyne

Medical doctor, Senior scientist

Dr. Anja Hieronimus

Medical doctor, Scientist

Dr. Sarah Hudak

Medical doctor, Scientist

Dr. Thomas Mühlbacher

Medical doctor

Anja Dessecker

Nurse

Marjo Bartus-Graf

Diet assistant

Alke Guirguis

Sieglinde Haug

Ann Kathrin Horlacher

Andrea Janessa

Dr. Angela Lehn-Stefan

Medical doctor, Senior scientist

Dorothee Neuscheler

Roman-Georg Werner

Melanie Weisser

Dr. Anja Schork

Medical doctor

Dr. Michaela Keuper

Scientist

Tobias Haueise

PhD student

Alexandra Hopf

Administrative Assistant

Theresa Ester

PhD student

Judith Leonie Nono

MTA

PD Dr. Martina Guthoff

Medical doctor, Senior scientist

David Arturo Juarez Lopez

Sabine Kümmerle

Diet assistant

Jennifer Maurer

PhD student

PD Dr. Miriam Hoene

Senior scientist

Thomas Goj

PhD student

Johannes Krier

PhD student

Eva-Maria Stehle

Medical Assistant

Dr. Julia Hartkopf

Scientist

Dr. Jelena Soldo

Medical doctor, Scientist

Dr. Lasse Relker

Medical doctor

Andreas Vosseler

PhD student

Dr. Katrin Sippel

Scientist

Anja Fischer

PhD student

Dr. Sabine Frank-Podlech

Senior scientist

Lorenzo Semeia

PhD student

Elisabeth Schrempf

Alexandra Eberle

Henrike Peuker

Kerstin Kernn

Dr. Jason Martin

Scientist

Dr. Nermeen Elagroudy

Scientist

Dorina Löffler

PhD student

2022 Metabolites 10.3390/metabo13010015

Hoene M, Zhao X, Machann J, Birkenfeld AL, Heni M, Peter A, Niess A, Moller A, Lehmann R, Xu G, Weigert C

Exercise-Induced N-Lactoylphenylalanine Predicts Adipose Tissue Loss during Endurance Training in Overweight and Obese Humans

2023 International Journal of Obesity https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-023-01271-y

Dreher SI, Irmler M, Pivovarova-Ramich O, Kessler K, Jürchott K, Sticht C, Fritsche L, Schneeweiss P, Machann J, Pfeiffer AFH, Hrabě de Angelis M, Beckers B, Birkenfeld AL, Peter A, Niess AM, Weigert C & Moller A

Acute and long-term exercise adaptation of adipose tissue and skeletal muscle in humans: a matched transcriptomics approach after 8-week training-intervention.

2022 Biology Open https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.059403

Szabo R, Ward JM, Artunc F, Bugge TH

EPCAM and TROP2 share role in claudin stabilization and development of intestinal and extraintestinal epithelia in mice.

2022 Current Medicinal Chemistry 10.2174/0929867329666220608162256

Wörn M, Kalbacher H, Artunc F

Proteolytic activity against the distal polybasic tract of the gamma subunit of the epithelial sodium channel ENaC in nephrotic urine.

2022 Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.14733

Hummel J, Machann J, Dannecker C, Kullmann S, Birkenfeld AL, Häring HU, Peter A, Fritsche A, Wagner R, Heni M

Eight weeks of empagliflozin does not affect pancreatic fat content and insulin secretion in people with prediabetes.

2022 Acta Physiologica https://doi.org/10.1111/apha.13844

Xiao M, Bohnert BN, Grahammer F, Artunc F

Rodent models to study sodium retention in experimental nephrotic syndrome.

2022 Diabetologie und Stoffwechsel https://doi.org/10.1007/s12181-022-00562-4

Schuett K, Aberle J, Bauersachs J, Birkenfeld AL, Frantz S, Ganz M, Jacob S, Kellerer M, Leschke M, Liebetrau C, Marx N, Mueller-Wieland D, Raake P, Schulze PC, Tschoepe D, von Haehling S, Zelniker TA, Forst T

Positionspapier Herzinsuffizienz und Diabetes.

2022 Diabetologie, Die

Schuett K, Forst T, Birkenfeld AL, Zirlik A, Mueller-Wieland D, Marx N

2022 Hormone and Metabolic Research 10.1055/a-1834-9008

Hoffmann C, Gerber PA, Cavelti-Weder C, Licht L, Kotb R, Al Dweik R, Cherfane M, Bornstein SR, Perakakis N

Liver, NAFLD and COVID-19.

2022 PLoS ONE https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0267258

Potzel A, Gar C, Banning F, Sacco V, Fritsche A, Fritsche L, Müssig K, Dauben L, Seissler J, Lechner A

A novel smartphone app to change risk behaviors of women after gestational diabetes: A randomized controlled trial.

2022 International Journal of Obesity https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-022-01115-1

Schneider E, Spetter MS, Martin E, Sapey E, Yip KP, Manolopoulos KN, Tahrani AA, Thomas JM, Lee M, Hallschmid M, Rotshtein P, Dourish CT, Higgs S

The effect of intranasal insulin on appetite and mood in women with and without obesity: An experimental medicine study.

2022 Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, The 10.1210/clinem/dgac179

Hummel J, Kullmann S, Heni M

Spotlight on the human brain - central actions of SGLT2 inhibitors?

Helmholtz Diabetes Center Institute of Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM)

Our Research Groups

Prevention

Pathophysiology of Prediabetes

Molecular Diabetology

Metabolic Neuroimaging

Translational Diabetology

Our Core Facilities

Clinical study center

Islet Facility

Clinical Chemistry Lab

Clinical Trials & Cohort Studies

German Study of gestational diabetes (PREG Study)

Dopamine Genetics

Intermittent Fasting to Improve Insulin Secretion (IFIS)

TUEDID study

Prediabetes Lifestyle Intervention Study Follow Up (PLIS FU)

DZD Workshop in Tübingen

Prof. Dr. Andreas Birkenfeld talks about the effects of a lipometabolic disorder in "DOC Fischer".

IDM partners in the Scientific Priority Program “Radiomics: Next Generation of Biomedical Imaging”

Stephanie Kullmann Receives the Ferdinand Bertram Award 2022

IDM partners in two new graduate programs

Scientists at the IDM

Prof. Dr. Andreas Birkenfeld

Prof. Dr. Andreas Fritsche

Prof. Dr. Hubert Preissl

PD Dr. Stephanie Kullmann

Prof. Dr. Norbert Stefan

Prof. Dr. Dr. Fritz Schick

Prof. Dr. Reiner Jumpertz-von Schwartzenberg

Prof. Dr. Cora Weigert

Dr. Louise Fritsche

PD Dr. Jürgen Machann

Prof. Dr. Erwin Schleicher

Prof. Dr. Ferruh Artunc

Prof. Dr. Andreas Peter

Prof. Dr. Dorothea Siegel-Axel

Prof. Dr. Rainer Lehmann

PD Dr. Felicia Gerst

Dr. Simon Dreher

Dr. Corinna Dannecker

Dr. Ralf Veit

Dr. Franziska Schleger

Maike Borutta

Lisa Ulmer

Ingrid Rösch

Karin Waneck

Timm Oliver Larbig

Dr. Dorothea Baumann

Dr. Anja Moller

Dr. Bernhard Bohnert

Dr. Ellen Kern

Prof. Dr. Nils Heyne

Dr. Anja Hieronimus

Dr. Sarah Hudak

Dr. Thomas Mühlbacher

Anja Dessecker

Marjo Bartus-Graf

Alke Guirguis

Sieglinde Haug

Ann Kathrin Horlacher

Andrea Janessa

Dr. Angela Lehn-Stefan

Dorothee Neuscheler

Roman-Georg Werner

Melanie Weisser

Dr. Anja Schork

Dr. Michaela Keuper

Tobias Haueise

Alexandra Hopf

Theresa Ester

Judith Leonie Nono

PD Dr. Martina Guthoff

David Arturo Juarez Lopez

Sabine Kümmerle

Jennifer Maurer

PD Dr. Miriam Hoene

Thomas Goj

Johannes Krier

Eva-Maria Stehle