On 4 and 5 November 2025, around 60 members of the German Biobank Network (GBN) came together in Bielefeld for the second community meeting of the year. The meeting was hosted by Biobank OWL under the direction of Dr Gabriele Anton. "The community meeting offers an ideal platform for networking activities and jointly setting standards for the future of biobanking," emphasised Anton.
Biobank OWL: Infrastructure with a strong NUM connection
Biobank OWL is a cross-institutional liquid sample and tissue biobank of the University Medicine OWL. It has two locations - at Bielefeld University and Lippe Hospital - and supports projects in the field of microbiome research in particular through specialised methods and close collaboration with the OMICs core facility. Together with the Hannover Unified Biobank (HUB), it is also responsible for the Biospecimen Hub at NUM, which has been part of the new NUM Methods and Biospecimen Hub (NUM-MB) since 2025.
Insights from the working groups
Several GBN working groups presented current developments. For example, the collection evaluation working group is developing a practical tool that will support biobanks in the structured evaluation of existing collections in future. The PBMC working group is working on recommendations for the quality of frozen PBMCs, while the data quality working group is pressing ahead with preparations for the first national data ring trial. These activities show how methodological, data-related and quality-orientated issues are being jointly developed within the network.
Focus on quality
Another central point was the further development of the GBN quality programme, including the new international "Quality Handbook for Biobanks", which will be available as an open access resource. In addition, a group is working on proposals for the revision of ISO standard 20387 for biobanking.
Strategic highlight: "A biobank platform for Germany"
The initiative "A biobank platform for Germany", a project anchored in the coalition agreement and part of the BMFTR's high-tech agenda, was received with great interest. The aim is to create a central digital platform in the NUM that makes biosamples and data visible nationwide and coordinates research enquiries. The concept published in September is supported by a broad alliance of science, industry and associations.
Open exchange in the community
New members emphasised the supportive atmosphere in the network. For Dr Lena Riesenegger from the Central Biobank Ulm (CBBU), which is still being set up, the exchange was particularly valuable: "The direct contact with other sites that are structured similarly to us has helped us enormously."
The next community meeting will take place on 23 and 24 April 2026 - hosted by the Integrated Biobank Mannheim (IBM).
Further information:
Event report on the GBN website
Concept points the way to a new biobank platform (News from 18/09/2025)