Research with the NAKO
The data from repeated medical examinations of over 205,000 participants in the German National Cohort (NAKO) are available in a unique database for new research projects. Our goal is to enable new discoveries to improve public health. To this end, we provide researchers data and biosamples from the 205,000 participants.
Apply for NAKO data now!
For international research applications submit an use and access agreement via the NAKO TransferHub and find out about ongoing research projects.
The German National Cohort (NAKO) provides the data and biosamples to registered users for scientific use via the NAKO TransferHub online platform. Scientists from all countries of the European Union (EU) can submit applications for use in accordance with the use and access policy.
Regulations & Forms
Use and Access policy
It is part of the concept of the German National Cohort (NAKO) that scientists and research institutions are given the opportunity to use data and biomaterial for scientific projects. The relevant mandatory regulation of the procedures for the transfer and use of such data and samples is provided by the Use and Access Policy, which also regulate the application to the Use & Access Committee.
If you are interested in NAKO data use, please contact
Anke Macdonald
transferstelle@nako.de
Phone +49 (0)6221 4262032
Publication policy
Additional projects / Level 3-Projects
Level 3 projects are additions to the existing programme of the German National Cohort (NAKO) that are initiated, financed and carried out by one or more members of NAKO e. V. (internal partners), possibly in collaboration with external cooperation partners (national or international research groups). The requirement is that these are financed independently and do not conflict with the regular research programme of the German National Cohort (NAKO).
Internal and external partners are referred to as ‘Level 3 partners’. These additional surveys may include all or only some of the study participants in the participating study centres and may be conducted within or external to the respective study centres.
If you are interested in a Level 3 project, please contact:
Simone Albrecht
level-3@nako.de
Phone +49 (0)6221-4262041
Scientific Concept
- The scientific concept of the German National Cohort (NAKO) was first submitted to the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) for review in February 2011.
- The first review by an international committee took place in April 2011 and all the key points of the study were assessed positively by the reviewers.
- The scientific concept was continuously revised as part of feasibility studies (pretests) and on the basis of further expert recommendations (further international reviews by the BMBF in 2012 and 2013).
The concept was published in the European Journal of Epidemiology:
- 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
Code of Ethics
The Code of Ethics of the NAKO Health Study is adopted by the General Assembly and defines the ethical framework of the study.
Data protection
The data protection concept describes the measures for data protection and IT security. Each institution involved in the German National Cohort (NAKO) ensures that the data collection and handling of the data is carried out in accordance with the data protection concept. Data processing is carried out in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The data protection concept of the German National Cohort (NAKO) is continuously coordinated with the responsible supervisory authority, the Federal Data Protection Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI), and is supported by the BfDI in an advisory capacity.