BBMRI.at – Österreichische Biobanken Forschungsinfrastruktur

BBMRI.at - Biobanking and BioMolecular resources Research Infrastructure Austria

Graz | Website

Open for Collaboration

Short Description

BBMRI.at supports biomedical research and facilitates access to human and animal samples and collaborations. To this end, BBMRI.at is networking the Austrian universities and biobanks and is building a national biobank research infrastructure.
BBMRI.at biobanks list more than 100 million samples in 439 registered biobanks in the BBMRI-ERIC Directory.

BBMRI.at is the Austrian Node of BBMRI-ERIC, the European Biobanking Research Infrastructure, which is jointly operated by 26 member countries and observers, including the international organisation WHO/IARC. BBMRI.at co-leads four operational goals of the BBMRI-ERIC Work Programme 2025–2027.

BBMRI.at Partner:
• Medical University of Graz with Biobank Graz
• Medical University of Vienna with MedUni Wien Biobank
• Medical University of Innsbruck with Central Biobank Innsbruck (start of operations 2026)
• Johannes Kepler University (Linz) with Biobank Linz (start of operations 2026)
• University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna ^
• University of Vienna

BBMRI.at funding by BMFWF - grant numbers
- GZ 10.470/0016-II/3/2013 (2013-2018)
- BMBWF-10.470/0010-V/3c/2018 (2018-2023)
- 2023-0.752.780 (2023-2028)

Contact Person

Mag. (FH) Cornelia Stumptner

Research Services

• Access to human/animal samples and related data (diseased, healthy)
• Prospective collection/storage of biological (human, animal) samples and associated data
• Preparation and processing of biological samples
• Central contact point for sample/data/collaboration inquiries to all Austrian & >600 European biobanks
• Online search portal 'BBMRI Biobank Directory' with biobanks and biobank collections (https://bbmri.at/for-researchers/biobank-cohorts/)
• Contacts with clinical experts and researchers at the respective partners
• Support with ethical questions / applications
• Support (advice) for handling samples according to the latest standards (ISO, CEN)
• Templates for material transfer agreements and declarations of consent
• Quality management audits for partners
• BSL-3 laboratory with services such as virus isolation and sequencing,
• Analytical services via partners (e.g. Whole Genome & Whole Exome Sequencing, in situ transcriptomics, large scale immunohistochemistry)
• Digitization of sample sections (whole slide imaging)
• Artificial Intelligence / machine learning
• Trusted data environments, new data access models (e.g., federated machine learning)
• Further education in the field of biobanking (courses and master's in biobanking)

Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure

Quality management (QM) & analytical technologies: e.g.
- Development and implementation of ISO & CEN standards for sample pre-analytics (including co-lead of CEN/TS 17626 and ISO/TS 8701 on human specimens for microbiome DNA analysis, ISO 20166-4 FFPE tissue for in-situ detection, and ISO 24051-2 on digital pathology & AI-based image analysis)
- On-site and remote cross-audits of BBMRI.at partner biobanks (in preparation for the BBMRI-ERIC ISO 20387 quality label, incl. the sample pre-analytics standards)
- Pre-analytical quality requirements for microbiome samples (human, animal, environmental)
- Regulatory requirements for IVDs;
- BSL-3 facility build-up/operation;
- Whole genome & exome sequencing (NGS);

Sample & data management:
- Building and operating biobanks;
- Building and operating high-capacity digitalization process & facility for tissue slides;
- Trusted data environment for biobanks and new data access model;
- IT architecture and data integration of BBMRI.at biobanks (standardized data capture, data quality, automated data transfer to BBMRI-ERIC);
- Roadmap for harmonized access to Austrian biobank data in line with the Austrian Health & Research Data Network and the European Health Data Space (EHDS)
- BBMRI.at Catalog/Biobank Editor development

Biobank & sample visibility and access:
- BBMRI.at biobank collections in European wide BBMRI-ERIC Directory
- BBMRI.at central contact/access point for requests for samples/data, services and participation in call proposals (EU, national)

Other topics:
- Green biobanking & environmental sustainability
- One Health / comparative medicine (potential of veterinary biobanks/samples; inventory of veterinary sample collections in BBMRI-ERIC member states)

Stakeholder & user engagement:
- Providing knowhow to biobanks and researchers building or working with cohorts (e.g. coordination of the Austrian Cohort Initiative, ATCI);
- Public engagement (e.g. biobank tours, children university courses on biobanking & pathology, Long Night of Research participation);
- Interviews/discussion groups with stakeholders
- Online portal for donors; etc.