German Institute for Human Nutrition

What German Institute for Human Nutrition does

The German Institute for Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke (Deutsches Institut für Ernährungsforschung Potsdam-Rehbrücke, DIfE) is a German foundation under public law established on May 28, 1992 by decree of the State of Brandenburg. Operating from the Arthur-Scheunert-Allee campus in Nuthetal as part of the shared Potsdam-Rehbrücke research campus with the University of Potsdam, DIfE investigates the influence of nutrition on human health across three research foci: (1) causes and consequences of obesity and diabetes, (2) the role of nutrition in healthy aging, and (3) mechanisms underlying food choice and precision nutrition. The institute operates a translational research pipeline spanning cellular and animal models (Max Rubner Laboratory with gnotobiology), epidemiological cohort studies (NAKO Study Center Berlin-South/Brandenburg, EPIC), and interventional human studies (Human Study Center combining a Trust Center, Investigation Center, Data Center, and biobank). Scientific infrastructure includes high-performance computing nodes, a tape file system server, fluorescence imaging systems, histoscanners, confocal microscopes, flow cytometers, mass spectrometers, NMR spectrometers, and the proprietary Veggie-Meter for non-invasive carotenoid measurement.

DIfE is a member of the Leibniz Association, which connects 96 independent research institutions jointly funded by Germany's federal and state governments, and it serves as a core partner in the German Centers for Health Research for diabetes (DZD, since 2009), cardiovascular disease (DZHK), and mental health (DZPG). The institute collaborates strategically with Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, University of Potsdam's Institute of Nutritional Sciences, and multiple collaborative labs (WESTGUT, PRECEDE), and participates in EPIC, NAKO, NFDI4Health, and Food4Future. Public-facing outputs include free online diabetes and cardiovascular risk tests, visitor workshops for schools and senior groups, and active engagement in regional events such as the Potsdam Day of Science.

The business model is non-commercial. DIfE has no products, pricing, or paying customers; its "revenue" consists of institutional core funding from Brandenburg and the federal government via the Leibniz Association, supplemented by third-party grants from BMBF, DFG, BMEL, ERDF, and EU programs (Horizon 2020, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions). Major capital projects have been co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, including the EUR 13.5M building renovation (2000-2001), EUR 3.2M Max Rubner Laboratory reconstruction (2009-2011), and a EUR 20M (gross) new laboratory and office building (2017-2021). The institute employed 267 staff as of December 31, 2025 (including 41 international researchers from 23 nations), produced 170 publications in 2025, and is led by Scientific Director Prof. Dr. Tilman Grune and Administrative Director Dr. Birgit Schröder-Smeibidl.

Name

German Institute for Human Nutrition

Legal name

Deutsches Institut für Ernährungsforschung Potsdam-Rehbrücke

Website

https://dife.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The German Institute for Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE) is a German public-law research foundation established in 1992 that investigates nutrition's role in metabolic diseases, aging, and food choice, serving scientists, policymakers, and the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nettetal

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Institutional Core Funding: Basic funding provided by the state of Brandenburg together with the federal government and other states as a member of the Leibniz-Gemeinschaft.
2. Third-Party Research Funding: Drittmittel funded research including grants from BMBF, DFG, EU (Horizon 2020, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions), BMEL, and other funding bodies.
3. ERDF European Regional Development Funding: EU co-financed infrastructure projects including equipment purchases and facility upgrades.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The German Institute for Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE) is a publicly funded research foundation that investigates the influence of nutrition on health. It conducts experimental and applied research spanning molecular and cellular studies, animal models, epidemiological observations, and interventional human studies to develop evidence-based strategies for the prevention and therapy of nutrition-related diseases such as obesity, type-2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and age-related conditions.

Product overview

The German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE) is a research institute, not a product company. Its offerings consist of scientific research infrastructure, human nutrition studies, risk assessment tools for public health, and educational services. The core infrastructure includes the Human Study Center (combining trust center, investigation center, data center, and biobank), the Max Rubner Laboratory for animal research, and the NAKO Study Center. Public-facing services include online diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk tests, visitor workshops for educational institutions, and literature services for researchers. Active research studies include ProtinA (protein bioavailability from insects), MiMal (algae micronutrient absorption), GLYCOTIME (time-restricted eating), and ProlEx-Context (breathing and decision-making).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Human Study Center (Humanstudienzentrum)
• Max Rubner Laboratory / Animal Facilities (Versuchstierhaltung)
• NAKO Study Center Berlin-South/Brandenburg
• Research Data Management
• Diabetes Risk Score (Diabetes-Risiko-Test)
• Cardiovascular Disease Risk Score (Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungs-Risiko-Test)
• Visitor Workshops
• Literature Service

Quantifiable outcome

• 170 publications in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009DIfE is a partner of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), funded by the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). The partnership focuses on understanding and combating diabetes through collaborative research.
• Leibniz-GemeinschaftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIfE is a member of the Leibniz Association, which connects 96 independent research institutions. Leibniz institutes address issues of social, economic and ecological relevance, conduct knowledge-driven and applied research, maintain scientific infrastructure, and provide research-based services. Leibniz institutions are funded jointly by the Federation and Länder.
• Charité - Universitätsmedizin BerlincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research partnership including joint studies such as the breathing and decision-making research published in Neuron. Charité's Neuroscience Research Center cooperates with DIfE's Department of Decision Neuroscience and Nutrition.
• University of PotsdamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIfE and the Institute of Nutritional Sciences (IEW) of the University of Potsdam share the Research Campus Potsdam-Rehbrücke, including animal experimental facilities, Human Study Center, analytical units, and seminar rooms. Joint support of nutrition science and toxicology courses.
• German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIfE is a partner of the German Center for Cardiovascular Research, collaborating on cardiovascular health research related to nutrition.
• German Center for Psychical Health (DZPG)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIfE is a partner of the German Center for Psychical Health, funded by BMBF (Grant 01EE2301E), focusing on body-brain interaction research.
• NAKOmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAKO is a large-scale German national health study. DIfE operates the NAKO Study Center Berlin-South/Brandenburg, contributing to this major epidemiological research initiative.
• NFDI4HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational research data infrastructure initiative for health research. DIfE participates in NFDI4Health for research data management.
• Food4FutureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch network focused on future food systems and sustainable nutrition.
• EPIC-StudymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition - international collaborative study in which DIfE participates as a research partner.
• German Research Foundation (DFG)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIfE receives DFG funding for research projects and is subject to DFG evaluation processes.
• Collaborative Lab - WESTGUTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative laboratory focused on Westernization of Diet and the Gut - investigating how dietary westernization affects gut health and metabolism.
• Joint Lab PRECEDEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint laboratory partnership for collaborative research projects.
• Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane (MHB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with DIfE on the FettGen project investigating PNPLA3 genotype and fatty acid status for fatty liver and cardiovascular disease diagnostics and therapy.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• INRAE (Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement): French national research institute combining agriculture, food, and nutrition research. Comparable as a large European public research organization conducting nutrition-disease prevention and food-health translational studies.
• USDA Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA): Tufts University-operated USDA research center on nutrition and aging. Direct peer in studying nutrition's role in age-related disease prevention and biomarker research.
• Wageningen University & Research: Dutch public research university and institute specialized in nutrition, food sciences, and health. Highly comparable translational research model combining experimental, epidemiological, and human intervention studies in nutrition.
• Max Rubner Institute (MRI): Germany's federal research institute for nutrition and food, also under BMEL. Directly comparable as a public nutrition research institute with similar focus on diet-disease relationships, food safety, and national nutrition policy advice.
• MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge: UK research unit conducting epidemiological and intervention studies on nutrition, physical activity, and metabolic disease. Comparable translational research model linking epidemiology with human metabolic studies.

Emerging players

• International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO): WHO agency coordinating large-scale epidemiological studies including nutrition-cancer links (e.g., EPIC, which DIfE also participates in). Comparable through population-level nutritional epidemiology and biobank infrastructure.
• Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin: DIfE's primary academic clinical partner for joint neuroscience and metabolic research. Comparable through overlapping research domains (decision neuroscience, nutrition metabolism) but primarily a clinical/academic hospital rather than a nutrition research institute.

Regional players

• German Institute of Food Technologies (DIL): German research institute focused on food technology and processing rather than nutrition-disease. Comparable as a German applied food research organization with industry collaboration, but with different primary focus.

Broad incumbents

• Nestlé Research: Industry-funded nutrition and health research division of Nestlé, working on similar topics (precision nutrition, metabolic health, food biomarkers). Comparable research scope but operating under commercial rather than public funding model.
• Helmholtz Zentrum München - Institute of Epidemiology: German Helmholtz Centre running large-scale cohort and nutritional epidemiology studies, including KORA. Comparable as a larger German public research organization with overlapping nutrition-metabolic disease research programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/german-institute-of-human-nutrition
• Xx.com/leibniz_dife

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about German Institute for Human Nutrition