TMF – its purpose and potential

Prof Otto Rienhoff

“As research infrastructures grow increasingly complex, there is an urgent need to enable them to coordinate and interoperate efficiently. To this end, we need a corresponding platform. And to my knowledge, TMF is the only suitable body in Germany.”

Prof Otto Rienhoff, University Medical Centre, Göttingen  

		Prof Klaus Pommerening

“TMF’s key strength is that it offers medical researchers the opportunity to jointly identify shared problems and seek shared solutions. For example, the expert reports commissioned by TMF are very important; they explore and explain otherwise nebulous legal issues that are of concern to all medical researchers.” 

Prof Klaus Pommerening, University Medical Centre, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz

Dr Ulrike Bauer

“TMF is an overarching organisation for multi-centric and interdisciplinary research. In my opinion, it is essential to have the opportunity for exchange with one’s peers – and to learn from their experience, and the mistakes of others when establishing project [AR1] infrastructure. In addition, you can pass on your own knowledge; the result is genuine value added for this type of research.” 

Dr Ulrike Bauer, Competence Network for Congenital Heart Defects

	Prof Rainer Röhrig

“Research is tied to specific projects – meaning we often establish infrastructure that cannot be used after funding ends. As a result, we lose staff and knowledge. In contrast, TMF plays a key role in gathering and storing knowledge, expanding it, and disseminating it. And that enables more cost-effective, higher-quality research.”

Prof Rainer Röhrig, University of Oldenburg

Dr Thomas Ganslandt

“Researchers often underestimate the challenges of implementing IT infrastructure for a medical research project. These are compounded by the need to create data protection mechanisms, and patient information and consent forms. And that’s where TMF steps in – and offers vital resources in the shape of valuable IT components, such as its pseudonymisation service, PID generator, and integrated data repository toolkit. Moreover, it provides fully developed generic solutions and template documents.”

Dr Thomas Ganslandt, University Hospital of Erlangen

Dr Thomas Ganslandt

“TMF provides numerous opportunities to network with colleagues in other organisations and meet potential partners for projects. People can discuss difficulties amongst themselves, but TMF offers us a number of practical tools. And we have already usefully deployed these in our projects – to define data protection mechanisms, and to implement IT infrastructures, for example.”

Dr Thomas Ganslandt, University Hospital of Erlangen 

	Dr Steffen Luntz

“In the context of clinical studies, I was able to find skilled partners with knowledge of the German Drug Act (AMG) and Act on Medical Devices (MPG), for example. We worked together to plan and conduct training events – allowing us to pass on our knowledge to others.”

Dr Steffen Luntz, Coordination Centre for Clinical Trials (KKS), Heidelberg 

Prof Otto Rienhoff

“The atmosphere at work group sessions is very productive, and TMF staff are very pleasant to work with. In addition, when professionals from diverse research disciplines come together to discuss scientific questions, it becomes possible to formulate a strategic approach.”

Prof Otto Rienhoff, University Medical Centre, Göttingen

	Prof Rainer Röhring

“Dissemination of knowledge. In many research projects, we have to see what kind of regulatory requirements exist, what issues must be resolved, and what type of  IT infrastructure components may be needed – for example, for data protection, i.e. ID management. We can save a great deal of project time and money when we have access to generic solutions that have been developed and refined over an extended period. Otherwise, it can often be the case that the required infrastructure is not in place until the project has come to an end.”

Prof Rainer Röhring, University of Oldenburg

Matthias Löbe

“Data management, particularly for large volumes of heterogeneous data, will remain the overriding issue in the mid-term.”

Matthias Löbe, Leipzig University

		Prof Rainer Röhrig

“A key new focus is definitely healthcare research. The fact we now have access to healthcare data raises a number of questions. How can we process and exploit this data? How can data be standardised? What kind of infrastructure do we need? And how do we nurture the skills required in the corresponding methodologies and approaches? We also have to consider how to best transfer this knowledge to basic and clinical researchers.”

Prof Rainer Röhrig, University of Oldenburg

Prof Otto Rienhoff

“In future, I see TMF providing assistance to both the recently founded German Centre for Health Research and to longer-established centres of excellence – by helping them create interoperable infrastructures.”

Prof Otto Rienhoff, University Medical Centre, Göttingen  

	Dr Steffen Luntz

“Standardisation is required across multiple areas – for example, for defined data formats for IT integration. Without a doubt, TMF is the organisation that can bring researchers together for this purpose, and effectively supply the corresponding knowledge.”

Dr Steffen Luntz, Coordination Centre for Clinical Trials (KKS), Heidelberg 

Dr Thomas Ganslandt

“By utilising its IT review process, TMF seeks to anticipate future developments in the field of clinical research. TMF does not simply react to the needs of its individual members – it also proactively spearheads a strategic approach. Moreover, TMF’s ability to fund projects has had a major impact, and has helped to make visions a reality. In the future as well, I would like to see TMF continuing to play an active role in providing solutions to the needs of its member organisations. ”

Dr Thomas Ganslandt, University Hospital of Erlangen