Interdisciplinary Centres for Clinical Research (IZKF)

Data and Facts
In past years, outstanding scientific results have been achieved in the individual fields of clinical research in Germany. However, some fundamental deficits still exist in the area of clinical research. In consideration of the expensive and complex research in modern biomedicine, a medical faculty can no longer ensure medical research at a high level across the entire spectrum.The faculties must focus their research on specific areas and control the use of funds according to the selected areas of focus and performance criteria.

What Does the BMBF Do?
The BMBF supports the creation of model centres for interdisciplinary clinical research (IZKF) in Germany. Since 1996, a total of eight IZKF have been supported at universities in Aachen, Erlangen, Cologne, Leipzig, Münster, Tübingen, Ulm and Würzburg with approx. 82 million EURO . With its committment to these centres, the BMBF establishes the structural foundation for sustained strengthening and improvement of clinical research in Germany. Centres with interregional character are created by uniting researchers of various disciplines. The goal of the IZKF is to optimise internal research management, intensify interdisciplinary clinical research, improve quality and directly support young researchers.

Independent research projects with their own personnel and resources are actively supported within the framework of the IZKF. The strict performance-oriented assignment of funds for individual projects within the IZKF makes a key contribution to quality assurance. Transparent financing makes the costs and benefits of clinical research verifiable.

The support of young researchers also holds a prominent position within the IZKF. Young scientists are integrated into challenging projects and guided to early responsibility. To rapidly achieve benefits for the patients, increasing importance is being given to cooperation by clinic workers and researchers with industry and the health care system.

The IZKFs will contribute to expanding the existing areas of research focus through new organisational and management forms, thereby shaping the profile of the respective faculty.

The IZKFs have joined to form a workgroup for pursuing their common interests. This workgroup produces ideas and concepts for international and national cooperation projects; joint symposia also result in projects with industry. The IZKFs are therefore also establishing the basis for another important step: implementing the innovations from clinical research into marketable products of use to individual patients through the integration of industry.