In a world shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic, the DEFEAT PANDEMIcs project in the National Network of University Medicine stands out as an innovative project that aims to establish a Germany-wide autopsy network for pandemic cases. The aim is to collect data, materials, and findings systematically structuring and making them available to the network partners for rapid evaluation. By harmonizing, structuring, and merging autopsy data and samples with associated metadata, DEFEAT PANDEMIcs makes an indispensable contribution to coping with current and future pandemics.  

The project's central coordination centers are the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf and the University Medical Center Aachen. The work is divided into ten work packages, from network competence and standards to digital autopsy pathology. Each package addresses different aspects of pandemic preparedness and response, including developing recommendations for autopsies during the pandemic and implementing Germany-wide autopsies and biobanking. 

Goals and Achievements: From Understanding to Preparedness  

DEFEAT PANDEMIcs aims to deepen the understanding of the pathogenesis of COVID-19 in the short term by establishing a nationwide autopsy network and creating a preparedness structure for future pandemics in the long term. Broad national coverage and the implementation of pilot projects with innovative approaches to the processing of infectious autopsies are just some of the many goals the network is pursuing. 

Challenges and Solutions  

One of the biggest challenges is the harmonized, cross-sectoral data collection and evaluation. These hurdles have been successfully overcome by creating a central registry of COVID-19 autopsies (DeRegCOVID). The network enables the unique networking of pathological institutes in Germany and the implementation of harmonized and standardized procedural guidelines in the quality control of post-mortem biosamples. 

The Way Forward: Pandemic Preparedness  

The achievements of DEFEAT PANDEMIcs serve as the basis for the ongoing work on pandemic preparedness in Germany. The network provides a blueprint for coping with future pandemics and epidemics. It contributes significantly to scientific and medical advancement by developing new approaches to support surveillance and digitizing autopsy pathology. 

DEFEAT PANDEMIcs has shown that an effective response to pandemics is possible through coordinated efforts and a robust data collection and analysis infrastructure. The intensive public relations work, and the dissemination of the knowledge gained through autopsies have increased public awareness of the importance of this work. The project thus exemplifies the indispensable contribution of science in the fight against pandemics. 

The DEFEAT PANDEMIcs is an important foundation on which the NATON (»National Autopsy Network«) project is being built within the University Medicine Network. 

As part of the project work, scientists at TUM Medicine have developed a unique minimally invasive autopsy procedure (MIA) to enable autopsies to be carried out without endangering doctors. The MIA can also be used in many other settings.