Die KOMM! Studie – Liedmann Lab

Thanks a lot for your interest in our study.

Die Rekrutierung der ersten Phase ist abgeschlossen. Ab sofort können wir nur noch folgende Teilnehmer annehmen:

40 Jahre alt oder älter
mindestens zwei Familienmitglieder, also Brüderpaare, Vater und Sohn- Paare, Cousins.

Bitte melden Sie sich zur Terminabsprache per E-Mail an KOMM@ukbonn.de.

Sind sie jünger als 40 Jahre setzen wir Sie gerne auf unsere Warteliste. Melden Sie sich auch dann per E-Mail.

Background

Every day we are exposed to a myriad of environmental pollutants. The list includes residues of agricultural chemicals on the produce we eat, small particles in the air we breathe, and leaching chemicals in everyday plastic products like water bottles and food wrappers. As these toxicants are everywhere it is extremely hard to avoid them. Moreover, once we discover that a compound is potentially harmful (this oftentimes happens years and decades after it has been implemented in our lives) it takes a lot of time for regulatory measures to take effect.

Scientific evidence suggests, that direct exposure to environmental toxicants can severely impact our health. But how is todays environmental pollution effecting the health of our children and grandchildren?

Animal experiments suggest that exposure to environmental toxicants can induce epigenetic changes in germ cells that manifest in generation-spanning infertility, metabolic disorders, and neurological defects.

What does "epigenetic" mean?

Our genetic information or DNA (Desoxyribonucleicacid) is like a string of four letters (A, T, G, C). The order of this letters determines how live developed and regulates all functions of our bodies. This is called the genetic information. In addition to the genetic information the DNA also carries epigenetic information. The epigenetic information regulates how often the letters are read, without affecting the order of the letters themselves.

However, how environmental exposure affects the epigenetic landscape in human germ cells is not clear. We neither know which epigenetic modifications are inherited by our offspring nor do we understand how our environment today might change the immune system of the next generations and contribute to immune mediated diseases like infection, autoimmunity, and cancer.

Why is that?!

In order to investigate how the epigenetic landscape in sperm is affected by the environment, we need one thing the most: sperm.

Sperm is precious. It cannot be recreated in the lab. We need men who agree to donate fresh sperm for our research.

Typically, sperm is donated by two types of men. Either, very fertile men who donate to sperm banks to help families receive a child. Or, men with reduced fertility who come to a fertility clinic to get help. As a consequence, most research focuses on these two extreme groups, and it is hard to draw conclusions that are true for the general population.

Sperm is sensitive. When sperm leave the body they will die within a few hours. Therefore, sperm samples need to be processed quickly.

Sperm is a private matter. To talk about it in public is not always easy. Let alone asking for it.

With your help we can change that!

Who can participate?

You can participate if you

are at least 18 years old
fully understand the concept and requirements of the study
agree to donate a blood sample, a sperm sample, and fill out a questionnaire.
after a successful vasectomy a participation is not possible anymore

How does it work?

Register online and book an appointment.
For your appointment please come to the Study Center Phase 1 at the University Hospital Bonn.
Before we start we will answer all your questions.
You will collect your sperm sample in a private room in the Study Center. Please keep in mind that you should ejaculate at least once between 7 and 2 days before your appointment. In the last 2 days before your appointment, please do not ejaculate anymore.
Qualified medical personell will take a blood sample and you will have the opportunity to fill out the questionaire.
Once you fulfill all the requirements (blood sample, sperm sample, questionnaire) you are eligible to receive 50 Euro by money transfer.

What's in it for you?

You are actively helping us understand how our environment impacts the health of future generations.
Knowledge generated in this study will potentially contribute to novel therapies for immunological diseases.
Also, our results might contribute to improved regulatory measures that aim to protect the population from harmful environmental experiences.
If you choose, you can receive information about your sperm quality and your ethnical background.

KOMM!
Help us

Thanks a lot for your interest in our study.