Epidemiology
Epidemiology conducts research on health and disease at the population level – infection epidemiology is concerned with contagious diseases. Their tools and methods are systematic queries, clinical examinations and laboratory diagnostic documentation for both healthy and afflicted individuals, as well as statistical analysis of the compiled data. Causes and risk factors for infections can thus be identified. Infectious diseases epidemiology contributes to the development of preventive measures, early detection and therapy for diseases. Moreover, it examines the efficacy of such measures. Thus epidemiology ties in with scientific findings in basic research as well as medicine, and examines these processes at the population level.
Leader
Study centre Hannover

The “National Cohort”, with its Germany-wide 200,000 participants and 18 study centres, is the largest health-study programme in German history. Approximately 10,000 participants from the greater metropolitan area of Hannover are to be examined and interviewed at the study centre Hannover.