17th TMF Annual Meeting 2026
Data Powers Science: Turning Data-Driven Research into Innovation
The digital transformation of healthcare is gaining momentum. But how can we make the best possible use of health data, and what conditions are needed to turn it into tangible innovations for care and research? At the 17th TMF Annual Meeting on June 16, 2026, leading experts from academia, politics, and industry will come together. They will demonstrate how solutions for a connected and digital medicine of the future can emerge—through high-performance infrastructures, appropriate regulatory frameworks, and a learning health system.
This year, the TMF Annual Meeting will take place in Berlin with two strong partners: the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité and the German Rheumatology Research Center (DRFZ). You can look forward to high-level insights from leading scientists, interactive panels, as well as engaging tours and workshops. The venue is the Kaiserin-Friedrich-Stiftung.
A special note for the medical registry community: Following the 17th TMF Annual Congress, the TMF Health Registry Summit 2026 will take place at the same location on June 17 and 18, 2026.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Program (as of February 16, 2026)
TMF Annual Meeting
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09:00–09:15 a.m.
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Opening
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09:15–10:00 a.m.
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Keynote
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10:00–11:30 a.m.
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Session 1: The European Health Data Space: What Requirements Does It Bring?
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11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
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Session 2: Data Linkage and Data Trust Models: How Can Health Data Be Connected?
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1:00–2:00 p.m.
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Lunch Break
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2:00–3:30 p.m.
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Session 3: Personalized Medicine: What Lies Beyond Oncology?
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3:30–4:00 p.m.
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Coffee Break
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4:00–5:30 p.m.
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Session 4: From Proof of Concept to Impact: How Can Sustainable Innovation Transfer Succeed?
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5:30–6:30 p.m.
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Panel: How Current Digital Laws Shape the Future of Research
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From 6:30 p.m.
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TMF General Meeting
Workshops and Site Visits
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Details
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The day after the TMF Annual Meeting, the BIH, TMF, and the German Rheumatology Research Center will open their doors, inviting participants to interactive workshops, lab visits, and tours of important research infrastructures. Registration will open shortly. Attendance is free for participants of the TMF Annual Meeting. Please note that the number of places available is limited.
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09:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
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Workshop: Hands-On Data Protection Impact Assessment – From Theory to Practice
TMF Office, Berlin
When is a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) required and how is it implemented in practice? In this practice-oriented workshop, you will receive a structured overview of the requirements, process, and key components of a DPIA, and learn how to confidently apply these requirements in your day-to-day work. Using real-life case examples, we will discuss typical practical questions and illustrate the potential consequences that may arise from the results of a DPIA. Following this, we will focus on established risk management approaches: Which risks need to be assessed? Which protection objectives are central? And which measures are appropriate? The workshop is aimed at anyone dealing with data protection issues in medical research who wishes to deepen their knowledge—clear, interactive, and practice-oriented.
- Speakers: Dr. Knut Kaulke and Karla Riesterer (TMF e. V.)
- Event Format: In-person
- Special Access Requirements / Expertise: This tutorial is aimed at an interdisciplinary audience, targeting anyone dealing with data protection issues in medical research.
- Materials to Bring: Laptop with Microsoft Excel (version 2016 or later)
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09:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
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Workshop: Routine Data for Research: The German Portal for Medical Research Data
TMF Office, Berlin
How can routine data from German university medicine be meaningfully used for research projects? This workshop is aimed at researchers who are planning a project using routine data or are already conducting one and would like to gain a practical overview of the available data structures and access pathways of the German Portal for Medical Research Data.
What data are available, how are they structured, and what challenges arise in practice—particularly with regard to data quality and harmonization? You will gain insight into the processes from application to data use and learn how research questions can be assessed at an early stage through feasibility queries. The workshop provides a concise, practice-oriented introduction to the use of routine data.
- Speakers: Dr. Marie Gebhardt and Karoline Buckow (TMF e. V.)
- Event Format: In-person
- Special Access Requirements / Expertise: No prior knowledge is required; the tutorial is suitable for both beginners and experienced researchers and clinicians.
- Materials to Bring: Laptop
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09:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
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Workshop: Local Large Language Models in University Medicine
TMF Office, Berlin
Local Large Language Models (LLMs) are becoming increasingly important in university medicine—particularly in contexts where sensitive data are processed. This workshop provides a practice-oriented overview of the potential and limitations of local LLMs and, through live demonstrations, showcases concrete applications such as the extraction of medical information, anonymization, and integration into existing systems like REDCap. Participants will reflect on their own use cases and discuss key issues related to data protection, costs, and operational models.
- Speakers: Dr. Peter Brunecker and Andreas Hetey (Berlin Institute of Health – Charité Berlin)
- Event Format: In-person
- Special Access Requirements / Expertise: Interest in using locally hosted AI/LLMs
- Materials to Bring: Internet-enabled laptop and an up-to-date web browser (e.g., Chrome or Firefox)
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10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
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Lab Tour of the German Rheumatology Research Center (DRFZ)
German Rheumatology Research Center, Berlin
In the 2026 Science Year “Medicine of the Future” by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space, the focus is on how we can stay healthy and how research is shaping the medicine of tomorrow. Under the motto “Looking Ahead to the Medicine of the Future: Researching Rheumatism – Shaping Health,” the work at the DRFZ contributes to detecting rheumatic diseases earlier, treating patients more precisely, and sustainably improving the quality of life for those affected. During the tour of the DRFZ laboratories, we provide insights into the technologies and research methods used at the DRFZ—from the FACS lab to the cell culture lab, and into the Ramin lab, where our guests follow the path that blood cells and tissue samples from patients usually take through our institute.
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Morning
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Tour of the BIH Biobank
Looking back at the TMF Annual Meeting 2025
[Video in German]
