German Diabetes Center GDC

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German Diabetes Center GDC
Deutsches Diabetes-Zentrum DDZ an der Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Leibniz-Zentrum für Diabetes-Forschung
Auf'm Hennekamp 65
40225 Düsseldorf
Tel.: +49 (0) 2 11 - 33 82 - 0

The German Diabetes Center GDC incorporates three scientific institutes, the German Diabetes Clinic, the Institute for Clinical Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry and the Institute for Biometry and Epidemiology. These collaborate closely together to carry out research on diabetes mellitus.

The German Diabetes Center – an institute of the “Scientific organisation Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz” – is the only institution in Germany that works at such a national level to study and treat diabetes. The German Diabetes Center receives half of its institutional sponsorship from the federal government, and the other half from the state of North Rhine Westphalia. Specific projects are also funded by extensive private funds received from the German Research Council, the European Union, the Federal Ministry of Research and Development, the Federal Ministry of Health, regional ministries, foundations and other private organisations. The German Diabetes Centerpresently employs around 300 members of staff.

The Society for the Promotion of Research into Diabetes was founded in November 1964 on the initiative of Prof. Dr. med. Karl Oberdisse together with Senator h. c. Peter Müller who was the mayor of Düsseldorf at the time. A diabetes research institute was set up to carry out its work. The present institute building Auf’m Hennekamp 65 was completed in 1973. In 1974, the outpatient surgery and the inpatient wards were put into operation.

The institute was included in the "blue list" in 1977. It is assessed at regular intervals by the science council and advised by an international scientific committee. In 1999 the Diabetes Research Institute was renamed the German Diabetes Research Institute, and in August 2004 it changed its name to the German Diabetes Center.

The German Diabetes Center is governed by the "German Society for Research into Diabetes", it is a charitable organisation lead by a board of volunteers. The organisation is advised by an administrative and a scientific committee. The governing organisation and institute have close links to the Heinrich Heine University through a co-operation contract.

The directors of the institute are members of the medical faculty, Prof. Scherbaum and Prof. Müller–Wieland also hold a chair at the Heinrich Heine University.



Patient Care

Under the leadership of Prof. Werner Scherbaum, the German Diabetes Clinic is responsible for outpatient and inpatient care as well as clinical research into diabetes mellitus.The most up to date methods and technology are available for this. Over 3500 diabetics from

North Rhine Westphalia, and also from the whole of Germany and other European countries are treated each year. Doctors, nurses, scientists, post graduate students and technicians are employed at the German Diabetes Clinic. In addition to the outpatients with various specialist consultation hours, there are two wards with a total of 58 beds where patients receive inpatient treatment.



Research

The German Diabetes Center works together with other institutes on the main points of joint research projects. In addition to their clinical duties, the doctors, biologists and biochemists of the German Diabetes Clinic carry out scientific work within the framework of their field of research. Important aims of this research are the improvement of the possibilities of early recognition and prevention of diabetes mellitus and its related illnesses.

The Institute for Clinical Biochemistry is lead by Professor Dr. Dirk Müller–Wieland and employs scientists, postgraduate students and technicians. The institute has a big clinical laboratory where a wide variety of clinical blood tests are established and where new laboratory methods are developed and tested. In addition the institute has a considerable involvement in the investigation into the effects of insulin and the development of late diabetic complications.

The Institute for Biometry and Epidemiology is run by Professor Dr. Guido Giani and employs biometricians, epidemiologists and documentation assistants. Its main research tasks are to record the prevalence and incidence of diabetes and related illnesses and the examination of health care for diabetics in Germany.