BBMRI.at – Österreichische Biobanken Forschungsinfrastruktur

BBMRI.at - Biobanking and BioMolecular resources Research Infrastructure Austria

Graz | Website

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 funding: BMBFW 10.470/0010-V/3c/2018 (2018-2023)]

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
• Johannes Kepler University (Linz) with Biobank Linz (under development)
• Paracelsus Medizinische Universität (Salzburg)
• University of Vienna
• Alpen Adria University Klagenfurt

Contact Person

BBMRI.at (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 (http://bbmri.at/catalog)
• Online search portal 'BBMRI Biobank Directory' with biobanks and biobank collections (http://bbmri.at/catalog)
• 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) (http://bbmri.at/courses)

Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure

Quality management (QM) & analytical technologies: e.g.
- Development and implementation of ISO & CEN pre-analytics standards;
- Regulatory requirements for IVDs;
- BSL-3 facility build-up/operation;
- Whole genome & exome sequencing (NGS)
- Spatial transcriptomics; etc.

Sample & Data management:
- Building and running biobanks;
- Building and running high-capacity digitalization process & facility for tissue slides;
- Trusted data environment for biobanks and new data access model;
- BBMRI.at Catalog/Biobank Editor development; etc.

Stakeholder & user engagement:
- Interviews/discussion groups with stakeholders (on value of biobanking, data-citizenship);
- Public engagement (e.g. biobank tours, children courses);
- Online portal for donors; etc.