The Kick-Off Workshop of the SCIDATOS research alliance was held on February 18./19. 2016 at the International Academic Forum Heidelberg. To 70 attendees, it provided up to date overviews of the fields brought together by the alliance:
• Research using electronic health data
• Patient privacy and data security regulations in research
• Clinical diagnostics and therapy of sepsis
• The immune system
• Process oriented mathematical modeling at the molecular, cellular, and systems levels

Research challenges and opportunities for advancing care for patients with sepsis were identified during panel discussions following the presentations. The organizers are indebted to all presenters and contributing participants for making this a successful event.

The workshop was funded by the programme „Scientific Computing“ of the Institutional Strategy of Heidelberg University „Heidelberg: Realising the Potential of a Comprehensive University“.