Twin Database GerTRuD
GerTRuD, the "German Twin Registry under Development," is the first Germany-wide twin database, inviting twin pairs of all ages to participate in a range of scientific studies. Both monozygotic and dizygotic twins of any age can register for participation in scientific studies. The registry is an initiative of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development (MPIB) and its collaborators (University Hospital Tübingen, University of Bremen, University of Bielefeld, Medical School Hamburg, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, and Saarland University). It lays the foundation for a unified registry of German twins, following the model of renowned registries in Sweden, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Further information can be found on the website
Twin Research between Genetics and Environment
Due to their unique genetic predisposition, twins provide scientists with unparalleled insights into the interplay of genetics and the environment. Classical twin studies examine genetic similarities between identical and fraternal twins to draw conclusions about the influence of genes and environmental factors. At the MPIB in Berlin, the Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience investigates how various factors of urban life influence mental health, human behavior, and the plasticity of the human brain.
GerTRuD Registration, Twin Studies, and Data Protection
Are you and your twin interested in registering in the first German twin registry?
Click here to access our online registration form directly.
For inquiries or a written registration form, contact our MPIB team via email at
gertrud@mpib-berlin.mpg.de or by phone at 030-82406 362.
Your consent is revocable at any time.
We will gladly inform you about new twin studies, and you can decide separately for each study whether you want to participate or not.
All data collected from you are subject to data protection laws, stored accordingly, and scientifically evaluated in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation and the Federal Data Protection Act. Your identity remains confidential, and your consent to share data with other scientists is optional.
Do you have any questions?
For questions, comments, or inquiries, please write to us at gertrud@mpib-berlin.mpg.de.