About the Department of Human Genetics at University Hospital Bonn
The Department of Human Genetics at the University Hospital Bonn offers both patients and doctors a wide range of services. Specialists of the department consult patients on the genetic conditionality of their diseases. They also conduct clinical studies and appoint all necessary further diagnostic measures. Diagnosis of genetic diseases is available for patients from the University Hospital Bonn and from other hospitals as well. The department employs the newest molecular methods. The head of the department is Prof. Dr. med. Markus Nothen.
For over 25 years clinical and scientific priority of the department are hereditary oncological diseases (syndromes of hereditary oncological predisposition). Medical care for patients and their families is based on differential diagnostics, consulting on human genetics and molecular genetic diagnostics. The scientific activity is primarily based on a clinical and genetic studies and search for new genetic causes of various forms of family and hereditary colon cancer. The department is part of the Center for Hereditary Oncology of Bonn (ZeT), which provides comprehensive interdisciplinary care to patients at the risk group. A number of self-help groups are also cooperating together.
Hereditary oncological diseases in particular include hereditary bowel cancer without polyposis (hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer / Lynch syndrome), various polyposis syndromes of the gastrointestinal tract, hereditary stomach cancer, hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasias, as well as various clinical patterns with a wide oncological spectrum (Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Kayden syndrome, Poitzer-Egers syndrome). Along with treating the patients, another important task of the department is scientific study of clinical pictures.
Diagnostic directions of the department are:
- Molecular genetic diagnosis
- Cytogenetic diagnostics
- Molecular-cytogenetic diagnostics
- Diagnosis of sets and DNA chips
Molecular genetic diagnosis is used for the treatment of such diseases as:
- Hereditary oncological syndromes.
- Mental retardation
- Dementive conditions
- Myopathy
- Neuropathy
- Dermatological diseases
- Epileptic syndromes
- Mitochondrial diseases
- Other diagnostic purposes (cystic fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, etc.)
Photo of the doctor: (c) Universitätsklinikum Bonn