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 is the Austrian Node of BBMRI-ERIC, the European Biobanking Research Infrastructure, which is jointly operated by over 20 countries and one international organisation (WHO/IARC).

BBMRI.at Partner:
• Medical Univesity of Graz with Biobank Graz
• Medical Univesity of Vienna with MedUni Wien Biobank
• Medical Univesity of Innsbruck with Biobank Innsbruck (under development)
• Johannes Kepler University (Linz) with Biobank Linz (under development)
• University of Vienna
• VetMedUni 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

BBMRI.at

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
- Friendly cross-audits of BBMRII.at partner biobanks
- 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);
- Spatial transcriptomics; etc.

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;
- 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 proposal (EU, national)

Other topics:
- Green biobanking & environmental sustainabiilty
- One Health / comparative medicine (potential of veterinary biobanks/samples)

Stakeholder & user engagement:
- Providing knowhow to biobanks and researchers building or working with cohorts
- 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.