Research with the NAKO
The information from over 205,000 participants in the German National Cohort (NAKO) is stored in a unique database. Our aim is to support your vision of new scientific questions to improve human health. To this end, we provide researchers with data and biosamples from participants.
On the following pages we inform you about NAKO data and biosamples and how the utilisation procedure for your research project works. The central tool for accessing the data is the NAKO TransferHub.
News for researchers
Study profile
Facts and figures | |
|---|---|
Start: | Since 2014, 30 year perspective |
Type: | Population-based cohort study |
Type of data collection: | Prospective |
Design: | Longitudinal |
Country: | Germany |
Infrastructure: | 18 study centres |
Participants: | 205,000 men and women aged 19—74 years at the start of the study. Drawn randomly from mandatory population registries. |
Funded by: | German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and the participating Federal States, Helmholtz Association |
Study waves: | Baseline examination (U1)
06/2014—09/2019
205,000 participants
5-year follow-up (U2, First re-examination )
05/2019—07/2024
135,000 participants
10-year follow-up (U3, Second re-examination)
07/2024—2028
85,000 participants (planned) |
Study register: | DRKS00037328 |
Study participation:
Baseline Examination (U1)
5-year follow-up (U2, First Re-Examination)
The 5-year follow-up (first re-examination) is a follow-up visit conducted several years after the baseline examination. It repeats many of the original assessments to track changes in health status over time. Participants who are unable to attend in person are offered a replacement questionnaire to capture key health information remotely.
10-year follow-up (U3, Second Re-Examination)
The 10-year follow-up (second re-examination) further continues the long-term health monitoring of participants. It builds upon the previous visits by updating measurements and health data. For participants who cannot attend the study center, a detailed replacement questionnaire is used to maintain their contribution to the study.
Health Surveys Between Examinations
Calibration Substudy
- Focuses on measurement reliability
- Involves repeated assessments within the baseline
Publications on the study design
- German National Cohort (NAKO) Consortium. The German National Cohort: aims, study design and organization. Eur J Epidemiol 29, 371–382 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-014-9890-7
- Peters, A., German National Cohort (NAKO) Consortium., Peters, A. et al. Framework and baseline examination of the German National Cohort (NAKO). Eur J Epidemiol 37, 1107–1124 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-022-00890-5
- Wichmann et al. The Biobank of the German National Cohort. Bundesgesundheitsblatt 59, 351-360 (2016) https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-012-1499-y
- Bamberg et al. Whole Body MR Imaging in the German National Cohort. Radiology 277, 206-220 (2015)
- Rach, S., Sand, M., Reineke, A. et al. The baseline examinations of the German National Cohort (NAKO): recruitment protocol, response, and weighting. Eur J Epidemiol 40, 475–489 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-025-01219-8
- Kuss, O., Becher, H., Wienke, A. et al. Statistical Analysis in the German National Cohort (NAKO) – Specific Aspects and General Recommendations. Eur J Epidemiol 37, 429–436 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-022-00880-7
- Ahrens, W., Greiser, H., Linseisen, J. et al. Das Design der Machbarkeitsstudien für eine bundesweite Kohortenstudie in Deutschland. Bundesgesundheitsbl. 57, 1246–1254 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-014-2042-0
Further NAKO-Publications: www.nako.de/publications
Application Procedure
From the first application to the completed research project – here you can see all the steps to realise your research projects with NAKO data and biosamples!
Letter of intent, Letter of support
As part of your scientific projects, you can submit requests for support in the form of a Letter of Intent (LOI) or Letter of Support (LOS) here:
Contact us
New: Consultation appointments for researchers
Are you planning a research project using NAKO data and would like some support? You can book an appointment here for a personal consultation with an expert from the German National Health and Cohort (NAKO).
Scientific project management
Scientific project management is responsible for planning, conducting and monitoring the study to ensure that the objectives are achieved efficiently and within the timeframe.
Research data management
Central research data management is responsible for the systematic recording, storage and maintenance of all collected data in order to ensure high data quality and security. It also ensures that the data is accessible for analyses to enable scientific use.