1st Funding period

The first funding period of the Network of University Medicine began in April 2020 and ended on December 31, 2021.

Detailed final reports from the projects of the first funding period can be found on the NUM website.

In several projects, databases with patient data were generated to advance research on COVID-19, and these data are available to researchers following a Use & Access procedure. A summary of the results and information on how to access the relevant data for your research can be found: here.

The Medical Faculty of Münster was involved in the following projects of the first NUM funding phase:

AKTIN-EZV - „Real-time healthcare research with the AKTIN emergency department registry“
The AKTIN-EZV project, "Real-time healthcare research with the AKTIN emergency department registry", aims to adapt and expand the AKTIN emergency department registry for pandemic research. The registry improves emergency medical care research by providing a unified view of structures and processes across hospitals. It is intended to be used to analyze the care situation during the first COVID-19 pandemic wave and to provide up-to-date data from emergency departments. This data can be used for epidemiological evaluations and COVID-19-specific research questions. At the same time, the registry can be used to identify recurring epidemic waves and potential care bottlenecks in the sense of an early warning system.
The overall project is coordinated by the University Medicine Aachen & Magdeburg. The project leader in Münster is Prof. Philipp Kümpers (Medizinische Klinik D)
B-FAST - „Nationwide research network for applied surveillance and testing“
The “Nationwide research network for applied surveillance and testing (B-FAST)” encompasses the observation, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of health data. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for different testing and surveillance strategies for the general population, schools and daycare centers, potential risk areas, and clinics. B-FAST is developing a platform to test and evaluate such strategies. To achieve this, it combines various analyses and assessments. By doing so, it supports strategies that not only help in the acute crisis but can also be transferred to future pandemics.
The overall project is coordinated by the University Medicine Göttingen & Cologne. The project leader in Münster is: Prof. Alexander Mellmann (Institute of Hygiene)
CEO-sys - „Building a Covid-19 evidence ecosystem to improve knowledge amanagement and translation“
Evidence-based medicine guarantees the best possible care, as it is based on current scientific findings. Numerous German university hospitals, in collaboration with the international Cochrane network, provide the scientific foundation for this. In CEO-sys - "Building a Covid-19 evidence ecosystem to improve knaowledge amanagement and translation", a national evidence network for Covid-19 is being built - under the leadership of Cochrane Germany. The dynamically evolving data and knowledge on Covid-19 are continuously prepared, evaluated, and communicated in a targeted manner to specific groups within this evidence network. This creates a basis for individual therapy decisions as well as institutional and public healthcare strategies.
The overall project is coordinated by the University Medicine Freiburg. The project leader in Münster is: Prof. Alexander Zarbock (Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Therapy)
CODEX - „COVID-19 Data Exchange Platform“
The project CODEX - „COVID-19 Data Exchange Platform“ aims to establish a nationwide, uniform, and data-protection-compliant infrastructure for storing COVID-19 research datasets. This research data platform will provide, for example, pseudonymized laboratory data to researchers through secure and transparent procedures. As a result, the platform will become a central source of information for various research projects focused on developing better treatment approaches for COVID-19.
The overall project is coordinated by the University Medicine Berlin. The project leader in Münster is Dr. Michael Storck (Institute of Medical Informatics)
COMPASS - „Coordination on mobile pandemic apps best practice and solution sharing“
The project COMPASS - „Coordination on mobile pandemic apps best practice and solution sharing“ aims to establish a platform that coordinates and provides concrete methods and tools for pandemic apps. Partners from academia and industry are coming together nationwide to achieve this, following an open-source approach. Together, they coordinate and evaluate pandemic apps, and develop recommendations for action. This also creates a basis for digital solutions to better prepare for future pandemics.
The overall project is coordinated by the University Medicine Göttingen & Mainz. The project leader in Münster is: Dr. Michael Storck (Institute of Medical Informatics)
DEFEAT PANDEMIcs - „German Research Network for Autopsies during Pandemics“
The DEFEAT PANDEMIcs project - "German Research Network for Autopsies in Pandemics" - is establishing a nationwide autopsy network in which data, biomaterials, and findings are systematically and standardised recorded and merged. This unique networking of most pathological, neuropathological, and forensic medical institutes of German university hospitals, as well as non-university partners, enables a deeper understanding of the disease and helps to develop more effective therapeutic approaches.
The overall project is coordinated by the University Medicine Aachen & Hamburg.

The project leader in Münster is Prof. Eva Wardelmann Prof. Eva Wardelmann (Gerhard-Domagk-Institute of Pathology)
egePan Unimed - "Development, testing and implementation of regionally adaptive supply structures and processes"
To recognise and treat Covid-19 patients more quickly and effectively in the future, a national pandemic management system is needed. It also helps to prevent infections and prepare for future pandemics. University hospitals, as internationally networked maximum care providers and research institutions, are at the center of regional health networks. In the egePan Unimed project - "Development, testing, and implementation of regionally adaptive supply structures and processes" - they cooperate with the Robert Koch Institute, the public health service, and state governments to jointly achieve the goal.
The overall project is coordinated by the University Medicine Dresden & Frankfurt.
The project leader in Münster is Prof. André Karch (Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine)
NAPKON - „National Pandemic Cohort Network“
The National Pandemic Cohort Network (NAPKON) establishes a network consisting of basic infrastructure and cohort platforms. As part of this, a network for collecting high-quality clinical phenotyping data, including data on biopsies and imaging, is being established.
The overall project is coordinated by the University Medicine Berlin and Frankfurt.
The project leader in Münster is Dr. Phil-Robin Tepasse (Department of Medicine B)
Organo-Strat - „Organ-specific stratification for COVID-19“
The Organo-Strat project - "Organ-specific stratification in Covid-19" - aims to establish a network that jointly utilises laboratory-developed organ models. This enables the synergistic processing of organ-specific research questions through a coordinated approach, relying on close collaboration between university hospitals and high-security laboratories. Tissue and autopsy samples, among other things, are to be used to conduct more informative studies on Covid-19 and other diseases. In the long term, this is intended to enable therapies that are tailored to individual patients.
The overall project is coordinated by the University Medicine Berlin.
The project leader in Münster is Prof. Stephan Ludwig (Institut für Virologie)
RACOON - „Radiological Cooperative Network for the COVID-19 Pandemic“
RACOON - "Radiological Cooperative Network for the Covid-19 Pandemic" is the first nationwide radiology platform in Germany, with almost all university hospitals participating. Here, X-ray images of patients suspected of having Covid-19 are collected and correlated with the course of the disease. The findings are analyzed using Artificial Intelligence (AI). This enables faster and more accurate diagnosis of the disease and its progression, and provides a basis for epidemiological studies, situation assessments, and early warning systems.
The overall project is coordinated by the University Medicine Berlin & Frankfurt.
The project leader in Münster is Prof. Walter Heindel (Department of Radiology)

AKTIN-EZV - „Real-time healthcare research with the AKTIN emergency department registry“

B-FAST - „Nationwide research network for applied surveillance and testing“

CEO-sys - „Building a Covid-19 evidence ecosystem to improve knowledge amanagement and translation“

CODEX - „COVID-19 Data Exchange Platform“

COMPASS - „Coordination on mobile pandemic apps best practice and solution sharing“

DEFEAT PANDEMIcs - „German Research Network for Autopsies during Pandemics“

egePan Unimed - "Development, testing and implementation of regionally adaptive supply structures and processes"

NAPKON - „National Pandemic Cohort Network“

Organo-Strat - „Organ-specific stratification for COVID-19“

RACOON - „Radiological Cooperative Network for the COVID-19 Pandemic“