DNA methylation patterns reflect individual lifestyle independent from obesity

The LIFE-Heart study recruited 7,000 patients with suspected coronary heart disease, manifest heart disease or myocardial infarction. All patients received coronary angiography so that the vascular status in the heart is precisely known. In principle, this examination is not feasible in population-related studies. In addition, the patients were thoroughly examined with regard to the general vascular status and the health of the cardiovascular system. Extensive environmental factors were recorded. ...

Goal of the Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases (LIFE) is the investigation of civilization diseases like depression, diabetes, allergies or cardiovascular diseases. For this purpose we collect as much data as possible regarding health and living conditions of the population in Leipzig and provide these data for scientists of the University of Leipzig and other research institutions.

This population-based study examined 10,000 participants randomly selected from the Leipzig population (2011 to 2014). A follow-up is to be carried out from 2017 - 2020. The study mainly included people aged between 40 and 79. All participants underwent a 6-hour study program and people over 60 years of age were invited two more times to in-depth study of cognition and depression and the brain (MRI, EEG). Extensive measurements of genome, metabolome and transcriptome are available. The LIFE-ADULT ...

The group is interested in omic-level studies including the genome, methylome, transcriptome, and metabolome of the general population as well as of various diseases including cardiovascular diseases, pneumonia, sepsis, obesity, and brain cancers. Additionally, we aim at transfering results of biomathematical model simulations into clinical practice e.g. by haematopoietic growth-factor opimization during cytotoxic chemotherapy and optimization of EPO applications in chronic kidney disease.

The ...