Launch of the Biobank Platform for Germany
Panel discussion at the kick-off event for the “Biobank Platform for Germany” project on 22 June 2026 in Berlin. From left to right: Ralf Heyder (Head of the Coordination Office at NUM), Dr. Stefanie Houwaart (BRCA Network), PD Dr. Sara Nußbeck (GBN), Holger Mann (Member of the German Bundestag), Suenne Orth (Roche), Prof. Dr. Bernd Weber (University Hospital Bonn and Association of Medical Faculties in Germany) and Dr. Matthias Meergans (vfa). © D. Ausserhofer / vfa
On 22 June 2026, the launch of the new Biobank Platform for Germany was officially announced in Berlin. The development of this nationwide platform implements a key initiative set out in the coalition agreement and the biotechnology roadmap of the High-Tech Agenda. Its aim is to significantly improve access to high-quality biospecimens and the associated clinical and analytical data for research and innovation.
Prof. Dr. Heyo K. Kroemer presented the concept: a central enquiry portal, a network of biobanks and standardised processes. Particularly interesting is the combination of access to existing samples and data with the option of prospective “on-demand sampling”. This will enable new samples and data to be collected quickly and in a targeted manner to address specific research questions.
The benefits are clear:
- Faster and more efficient research
- Integration of clinical, molecular and omics data
- The highest standards of quality, data protection and ethics
- Transparent and legally robust processes
Prof. Dr. Heyo Kroemer, Chairman of the Executive Board of Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. © D. Ausserhofer / vfa
As Holger Mann, Member of the German Bundestag, aptly put it, the platform is a real “booster” for medical research and lays an important foundation for data-driven medicine in Germany.
Funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the Biobank Platform for Germany represents an important step towards making biospecimens significantly more accessible to researchers in academia and industry. For biospecimens from multiple biobanks, only a single research application and one material use agreement will be required.
Holger Mann, Member of the German Bundestag. © D. Ausserhofer / vfa
TMF e.V. and numerous other organisations contributed to the preceding concept development, which was led by the Network of University Medicine (NUM). These included Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, the German Biobank Network (GBN), the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the German Association of the Diagnostics Industry (VDGH), the German Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (vfa), the German Pharmaceutical Industry Association (BPI), BIO Deutschland e.V. and the Association of Medical Faculties in Germany (MFT).
Further Information
Biobanking Symposium 2026
The 14th National Biobanking Symposium, taking place on 15–16 September 2026 at Hotel Aquino in Berlin, will provide a comprehensive overview of current developments in biobanking across national research networks and consortia.
