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Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPSLeibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPS

NFDI4Health Annual Meeting 2024 in Potsdam

Prevention and Evaluation Biometry and Data Management

The consortium meeting of NFDI4Health took place on 7th and 8th October 2024 in Potsdam. NFDI4Health reflected on the past year and set the course for future projects and its role in Europe. The days were characterised by intensive collaboration and open exchange!

Working together to advance high-quality health data: NFDI4Health 2024 in Potsdam. (c) NFDI4Health/Alberts

Annual Meeting: Together for FAIR Health Data
Two intensive days on 7th and 8th October 2024, at the German Institute for Nutritional Research in Potsdam-Rehbrücke have just concluded for NFDI4Health. The NFDI4Health initiative is building FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) infrastructures for personal health data in Germany. In this context, BIPS plays a central role: Prof. Dr. Iris Pigeot is the deputy spokesperson. Once a year, the entire consortium gathers: ranging from executives to software developers, as well as experts in standardisation, cybersecurity, and data linkage. The focus is on the questions: Where does NFDI4Health stand? What has been achieved? And what challenges lie ahead?

Setting the Course: Expanding Infrastructures, Services, and Collaborations
Central themes of the annual meeting included the integration of NFDI4Health into related health data infrastructures and the transition to the second project phase in autumn 2025. Under the leadership of spokesperson Juliane Fluck and co-spokesperson Iris Pigeot, new partnerships in the field of health data were discussed. Particularly exciting was the presentation of regional data competence centers such as DataNord and DIM.Ruhr, which aim to provide insights for data management and usage in Germany. Another focus was on improving public interaction through the health research data portal (FDPG) in collaboration with the Medical Informatics Initiative. Breakout sessions involved intensive discussions on how to provide research data more efficiently. Additionally, identity and access management (IAM) and new features of the Health Study Hub were in focus.

A glimpse into the future: NFDI4Health in the European Health Data Space
A central point of the meeting was the outlook on the future role of NFDI4Health in the European Health Data Space (EHDS). NFDI4Health sees itself as an important platform to integrate German health data into the European context according to FAIR principles. The goal is to facilitate access to high-quality and interoperable health data across Europe, thereby accelerating research. Participants emphasized the need to further develop existing infrastructures, strengthen international collaborations, and integrate the structures and services of NFDI4Health into the EHDS.