Biomarkers4Pediatrics - International Multicohort Pediatric Biomarker Collaboration

Biomarkers4Pediatrics aim to establish a large, globally collaborating network on pediatric biomarkers. The initiative led by the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS has been supported by leading researchers in pediatric health. Several renown international child and adolescent studies have already joined. Taking advantage of increased statistical power and variations across age groups, geographical regions and socio-cultural backgrounds, we aim at conducting pooled data analyses on a global scale and provide age-, sex- and ethnic-specific reference curves for metabolic biomarkers as the first use case to facilitate the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome in early life.

Objectives:
1. Harmonize and pool data from population-based studies in children and adolescent populations (aged 0-18 years) with relevant biomarkers as well as anthropometric and physiological measurements.
2. Perform joint analyses on research questions in pediatric health using pooled harmonized datasets.

Use Cases:
1. Development of a global definition for the pediatric metabolic syndrome
2. C-reactive protein reference curves from infancy to young adulthood
3. Reference standards for sarcopenia in children