GeGe4Nephro: Prognosis Model for Nephrology

A kidney transplant can be life-saving. But serious complications can occur even after a successful transplant. So far, gender-specific differences in the treatment of chronic kidney disease and after kidney transplantation have been insufficiently taken into account. Women are less likely to be placed on the waiting list for a donor kidney, despite comparably severe disease, higher mortality during dialysis and a better prognosis after transplantation. At the same time, risks and disease courses differ between women and men.

This is where the GeGe4Nephro research project comes in. The aim is to better understand gender-specific risk factors for complications after kidney transplantation and to use this to develop new possibilities for more individual and gender-sensitive care.

How does GeGe4Nephro work?

The project investigates which gender-specific factors influence the risk of complications after kidney transplantation. A particular challenge is the increased risk of cancer: people who have had a transplant have a significantly higher risk of cancer because of the medication needed to suppress the immune system. The researchers therefore analyse extensive historical transplant data and examine genetic and epigenetic characteristics. In doing so, they look for biomarkers that can indicate an increased individual risk.

On this basis, they are developing an AI-based prognosis model that helps medical professionals better assess individual and gender-specific risks. The technology is intended to help detect possible complications early and derive suitable prevention and aftercare measures from them.

Developed together for gender-sensitive transplant medicine

GeGe4Nephro brings together different areas of expertise from medicine, transplant research, genetics, molecular biology, artificial intelligence and ethics. Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Leipzig University Hospital contribute clinical expertise and transplant data. Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg is responsible for ethical questions, while the Hasso Plattner Institute contributes its expertise in artificial intelligence. Justus Liebig University Giessen and Labor Pachmann GmbH complement the consortium with genetic, epigenetic and molecular biology expertise. In addition, the project works with an international network of patient representatives, physicians, transplant centres, research and industry.

The prognosis model developed will be integrated into an interactive clinical demonstrator. This makes it possible to test the technology under realistic conditions and to develop it further together with potential users.

Prospects for more individual transplant medicine

GeGe4Nephro is intended to help make gender-specific differences in kidney disease and after transplantation more visible and to translate them into concrete improvements in care. By detecting individual risks earlier, more tailored prevention and aftercare measures could be developed in the future. The clinical demonstrator also provides a basis for further evaluation, exploitation and possible follow-up projects.

GeGe4Nephro combines clinical data, modern biomarker research and artificial intelligence – for a transplant medicine that takes gender-specific differences into account and can assess risks more individually.

Project information

Consortium coordinator Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Engineering gGmbH, Potsdam Dr. Matthieu-P. Schapranow

Partners Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin - Campus Charité Mitte - Department of Nephrology and Internal Intensive Care Medicine Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg - Faculty of Humanities and Department of Theology - Institute of Systematic Theology - Chair of Systematic Theology II (Ethics) Justus Liebig University Giessen - Department 08 - Biology and Chemistry - Institute of Genetics Labor Pachmann GmbH & Co. KG, Bayreuth University Hospital Leipzig - Department of Endocrinology, Nephrology and Rheumatology

Volume €1.47 million (97% funded by BMFTR)

Duration 11/2025 - 10/2028

Call for proposals Interactive Technologies for Gender-Specific Health (GeGe)