Don’t reinvent the wheel when you can learn and gain insights elsewhere, such as from your neighbors. This rule also applies to biobanking and biobanks. There’s no reason to repeat the same mistakes when we can avoid them. That is precisely why openness and a willingness to discuss help harmonize processes across countries, support the…

This standard sets requirements for the entire process of handling biological material and related data with the aim of ensuring their high quality and usability for science and research. During the assessment, the CIA (Czech Institute of Accreditation) also underwent a repeat evaluation by European Accreditation, including an expansion to cover the field of biobanks,…

In January 2026, the large research infrastructures BBMRI.cz and BBMRI.ch launched a joint initiative, CS-BIQ, bringing together Czech and Swiss biobanks to strengthen the quality of processes related to biological samples. The project also supports biobanks in preparing for international ISO 20387 accreditation and focuses on the harmonisation and accessibility of biobank data in line…

Health data are among the most sensitive – but also among the most valuable – resources for research. How will the emerging European Health Data Space (EHDS) transform researchers’ access to data? What will it mean for Czech institutions? And why is public trust so crucial for the future of health data sharing? We spoke…

When we hear the term biological material bank (biobank), we often imagine large freezers filled with test tubes stored in locked rooms. However, it is important to realize that biobanks store not only samples but also data. For this reason, biobanks function both as data providers and as data archivists.Through BBMRI.cz, a large research infrastructure…

How does the human body react to a microgravity, physical and mental stress, or radiation? The CANCER experiment, which represents a unique combination of space medicine and molecular oncology, aims to bring new insights in this area. The results will be important not only for future space flights, but also for conventional medicine – especially…

At the beginnig of July, the Biobank for Cancer and Rare Diseases at JLF UK in Martin (Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin Comenius University) welcomed a delegation of experts from the Czech National Node BBMRI.cz, led by its director, Roman Hrstka. The visit took place in the context of preparations for the establishment of…

On June 3, 2025, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the large research infrastructure BBMRI.cz (coordinated by the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute) and the Alliance of Women with Breast Cancer, o.p.s. (Alliance of patient organizations). As part of this cooperation, educational seminars, educational materials, excursions, and popular science articles are planned with the aim…

The prestigious Forbes magazine published an interesting article about a new method of early detection of pancreatic cancer, developed by Prof. Holčapek’s team from the University of Pardubice, and the start-up Lipidica took this method under its wing. The company has now been granted a US patent. The biological samples from the large research infrastructure…

BBMRI.cz – The Network of Czech Biobanks and the Czech Health Research Council (AZV) of the Czech Republic concluded a Memorandum of Cooperation in November 2024. BBMRI.cz – The Network of Czech Biobanks and the Czech Health Research Council (AZV) of the Czech Republic concluded a Memorandum of Cooperation in November 2024. “Our common goal is to develop mutual…