GERMANET. the nationwide GERman MAss cytometry NETwork: project-specific supervision, exchange of expertise, technology transfer, data analysis

最近开发的细胞计数技术（CyTOF技术）以前所未有的深度捕捉细胞系统的复杂性，有望在生物医学研究和诊断方面做出重大贡献。德国风湿病研究中心柏林（DRFZ）发起了一个全国性的大规模细胞计数网络GERMANET（德国大规模细胞计数网络）的基础，该网络将DRFZ、柏林-勃兰登堡再生治疗中心（BCRT，慈善柏林）、德累斯顿工业大学再生治疗中心（CRTD）和乌尔姆大学诊所的所有德国大规模细胞计数中心的专业知识捆绑在一起。对于个体研究人员来说，细胞计数项目的复杂性代表着巨大的障碍和风险，通过德国细胞计数中心的相互联系和联合，以分而治之的策略，将这些障碍和风险降至最低。该网络的目的是：1)促进新老用户、技术开发人员和数据分析专家之间的交流，使个人研究人员的项目受益；2)利用中心互补研究范围产生的面板设计和技术开发的协同作用；3)质量保证细胞分析和数据及其可重复性；4)促进生物信息学分析。这将通过以下方式实现：1)在规划、执行和分析阶段加强项目监督，联合定期讲习班和研讨会，建立研究人员交流计划和相互技术转让；2)引入模块化面板和开发新技术；3)建立联合质量标准并将其纳入日常工作，并在环形试验中进行验证；4)建立生物信息学联络办公室。因此，GERMANET促进了德国细胞计数技术的国际竞争力。

The recently developed mass cytometry (CyTOF technology) captures the complexity of cellular systems at unprecedented depth, promising significant contributions in biomedical research and diagnostics. The German Rheumatism Research Center Berlin (DRFZ) initiates the foundation of a nationwide mass cytometry network, GERMANET (GERman MAss cytometry NETwork), that bundles expertise of all German mass cytometry centers, at the DRFZ, the Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT, Charité Berlin), the Center for Regenerative Therapies of the TU Dresden (CRTD), and the University Clinics Ulm. The complexity of mass cytometry projects represents significant hurdles and risks for individual researchers, which will be minimized by interconnecting and joining forces of German mass cytometry centers along a divide-and-conquer strategy. Aims of this network are to i) boost communication between new and experienced users, technology developers, and data analysis experts, to benefit individual researchers projects, ii) the exploitation of synergies in panel design and technology developoment arising from the centers complementary research scope, iii) quality assurance of mass cytometric analyses and data, and their reproducibility, and iv) facilitating bioinformatic analyses. This will be achieved by i) intense project supervision in the planning, execution and analysis phase, joint regular workshops and seminars, the installation of the researcher exchange programme and mutual technology transfer, ii) the introduction of modular panels and the development of new technologies, iii) establishing joint quality standards and their integration into routines, and their validation in ring-trials, and iv) installing the Bioinformatics Contact Office. Thus, GERMANET facilitates the international competitiveness of German mass cytometry.