The German Network for CLinical Studies in Infectious Diseases has four major objectives:
i) To develop robust collaborations between people interested in clinical infection research.
ii) To perform observational and interventional trials in order to address relevant questions in pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of infectious diseases.
iii) To provide a platform for training clincal scientists and increase opportunities for research in infectious diseases.
iv) To establish a structure for further international collaborations under the guidance of DESTINi in the future.
The guiding principles behind DESTINi should be as follows:
- The privacy, anonymity and confindentiality of research participants are protected.
- The sovereignty of all physical samples and clinical data contributed to DESTINi projects remain with the contributing centre.
More specifically, the following should apply:
- The investigators from each centre will elect a local Principal Investigator (PI) to represent them within the DESTINi Steering Committee. The PI can change over time, as required by the centre. A chariman of the STeering COmmittee who shall coordinate group activities is elected for 3 yeras by the STeering Committee.
- Project proposals for studies of the network will be discusse in the Steering Committee.
- If a centre signs up for a DESTINi project, the PI of that centre will ensure that the study is locally conducted in accordance with the protocols agreed by DESTINi.
- Contributing PIs will have access to all clinical or biological data collected from their centre.
- Physical samples (bacteria, host tissue etc.) and clinical data can only be used for group experiments with the permission of each contributing PI and with the appropriate ethical approval.
- The PI of the centre that initiates or leads a DESTINi privject will ensure ethical approval by the local ethics committee, which then serves as the leading ethics committee for this project.
- When specimens are held in a central reserve for group experiments, that centre is responsible for the integrity and security of the specimens.
- The contributing PI from each centre can recall physical specimens after agreed group expriments have taken place and us the specimens for other additional purposes outside the DESTINi project.
- Publications that report the work of the whole group will be authored by DESTINi. First, second and last authors will be decided on based on the contributions in the project and the activity within the writing committee. Authors need to satisfy criteria as detailed in the „Uniform Requirements“ of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Collaborators of other departments of DESTINi centres providing substantial contributions (e.g. Microbiology Department in bloodstream infections, or clinical departments/sections in manuscripts of respective organ system infections) will be credited with a co-authorship. Contributions of others will be listed in the acknowledgment section (with the option of a linked authorship). Publications which arise from studies which do not involve the whole group, (e.g. specialised sub-studies) should reflect the genuine contributions of the collaborators in accordance with normal academic practice and follw this example: „Firstperson A, Secondperson D, Thirdperson C, etc … on behalf of DESTINi“. Whenever two or more authors had equal contribution to authorship, the order in which they appear in the publication will reflect the number of patients included. All investigators and their affiliations will be named in the acknowledgment section. If deemed necessary, project-specific publication policies (including authorship rules) will be drafted.
- All underlying raw data from DESTINi publications will be available to the scientific community on legitimate request. Release of data needs to be confirmed by the Steering Committee.
- When a situation arises where proprietary rights (patents, authorship, etc.) are claimed by a PI based on research conducted within DESTINi, the respective PI has to contact the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee will then carefully assess the contribution of the group and the individual PI and ensure it is credited adquately.
- Acquisition of funding: All PIs are strongly encouraged to apply for funding for DESTINi activities. However, when results or specimens from group activities are used to attract funding, the Steering Committee needs to be contacted to ensuter adequate participation and agreement of the DESTINi group.