This session highlights how public–private collaborations in biobanking drive innovation by combining strategic vision with practical implementation. Participants will explore how shared resources, expertise and technology – together with effective contracting models, fair valuation and compliance-by-design – can build sustainable research platforms and create lasting value for health research across Europe. Highlight speaker: Dr. Gaia…

This session spotlights patients as experts-by-experience driving innovative research and establishing biobanks that address emerging health needs. It explores best practices for making biobank-based research accessible and impactful, empowering diverse communities and fostering meaningful, sustained citizen engagement to advance inclusive and patient-centered health innovation. Speakers included in this session: Eric Vermeulen – Biobanking for long…

This session explores how biobanks are adapting collection, processing and storage protocols to meet the demands of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics research. Experts will address operational challenges in integrating multi-omics workflows while ensuring IVDR compliance, offering practical insights into preparing high-quality biospecimens for comprehensive, reproducible multi-omics analyses. Speakers included in this session: Niklas Ahlblad…

This session highlights the pre-analytical phase of biobanking, where collection, handling and storage determine downstream success. Experts will discuss common challenges and show how precise control enhances the value of biospecimens and cellular models. Attendees will learn how optimising pre-analytics improves test performance, reproducibility and the integrity of biological data. Speakers included in this session:…

This session focuses on practical tools, methodologies and processes that strengthen quality management systems aligned with international standards such as ISO 20387. Experts will demonstrate how interlaboratory comparisons, proficiency testing and validation strategies strengthen reproducibility and data confidence. Attendees will gain hands-on insights into overcoming pitfalls, implementing quality controls and ensuring sample and data integrity…

This session will present the next generation of biobanking technologies, from automation and digital tracking to integrated data systems and innovative technologies, along with the complex realities of implementing them. Through expert insights and practical case studies, it will show how biobanks are navigating technical obstacles, regulatory demands and evolving standards, while unlocking new opportunities…

This session explores advanced methods for assessing and improving the quality of biobank data. Participants will learn about frameworks for data capture, quality metrics and metadata that ensure scientific reliability. Through examples and new tools, attendees will gain practical insights to prevent errors, enhance reproducibility and drive impactful data-driven medical research. Highlight Speaker: Carmen Ortega-Sabater…

This session explores the unique challenges of pediatric biobanking, including ethical considerations, consent complexities and age-specific biological factors. Experts will share best practices for safeguarding young donors while ensuring sample quality. Attendees will learn how pediatric biobanks drive research in childhood diseases, developmental biology and personalised medicine to improve future health outcomes. Speakers included in…

This session uncovers strategies to protect donor privacy while enabling cross-border data exchange through robust governance, clear agreements and legal compliance. Experts will address GDPR, data residency and practical models for Data Transfer and Processing Agreements, highlighting how federated biobanking networks connect with healthcare data ecosystems to accelerate discovery and innovation. Speakers included in this…

This session will cover complex ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) that shape biobanking practices and influence public trust. It will show how integrating ethics directly into biobanking processes as a core component can drive responsible innovation. Participants will gain insight into strategies for navigating regulatory landscapes, addressing social concerns and fostering collaborative environments that…

Dive into the inner workings of biobanks and discover how organisational models and strategic planning shape their success. This session showcases diverse approaches to governance, sustainability and stakeholder engagement, illustrated through real-world examples that highlight innovation, resilience and impact in biomedical research and healthcare innovation. Speakers included in this session: Lina Winter – Biobanking as…

This session explores the evolving landscape of EU regulations shaping the future of biobanking, focusing on their ethical, legal and societal implications. Participants will examine the latest developments toward a European Health Data Space (EHDS) and gain comparative insights into how member states interpret and implement these emerging frameworks. Speakers included in this session: Radek…

This session examines the ethical, technical and logistical challenges of collecting and managing human tissue donations, both post-mortem and from living donors. Experts will discuss consent, data integration and governance frameworks ensuring responsible use, sharing methodologies and case studies that demonstrate how tissue biobanks advance research and deepen understanding of health and disease. Speakers included…

This session explores the evolving role of biobanks as dynamic local hubs in biomedical research. Learn how biobanks serve as interfaces between researchers, healthcare providers and communities, facilitating data sharing, sample access and collaboration. Discover strategies to enhance their impact on translational research and innovation ecosystems. Speakers included in this session: Eero Punkka – Biobank…

Ensuring high-quality biobanks demands expertly trained personnel. This session highlights tailored education and training opportunities for the biobank community, covering all roles – from project managers to technical staff handling samples and data. Gain insights into upskilling pathways that enhance competence and drive excellence across biobank operations. Speakers included in this session: Molina-Roldán E. -…

Non-human biobanks – encompassing amongst others animal, plant and microbial specimens – are essential for life science research and biodiversity conservation. They face challenges like ethical dilemmas, data standardisation and resource limitations not unlike human biobanks. Yet, they offer opportunities for basic research, ecological restoration, agricultural resilience and scientific innovation through advanced preservation, genomics and…

The Ethics Café is an established event of the Europe Biobank Week conferences in which all stakeholders come together in an informal setting to voice their thoughts on the role that ethics frameworks play in the context of biomedical innovation. This year, the Ethics Café brings together expert perspectives on AI-driven health data use and…

This session highlights biobanks advancing research on neurological and psychiatric disorders. Learn about innovative methods for collecting, managing, and sharing samples and data across diagnostics and research. Hear how these biobanks drive molecular insights into diseases with often unclear underpinnings and limited diagnostic markers. Speakers included in this session: Viktor Molnár – From federated pilot…

This session explores domain-specific biobanks for rare diseases, emphasising the importance of cross-border collaboration and networks like the EuroBioBank (EBB). Discover innovative strategies for extensive sample collection, data integration and (inter)national partnerships that drive research breakthroughs, improve diagnostics and accelerate targeted therapy development for patients with rare conditions. Speakers included in this session: Katharina Hofmann…

We are excited to announce that the second keynote of #EBW26 will be delivered by Aneta Tyszkiewicz, Director, Science and Regulatory at the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). The subject of the keynote will be ‘From scientific excellence to industrial leadership: Strengthening Europe’s attractiveness for research and innovation through the EU Biotech Act’.…

We are honored to announce that the first keynote of #EBW26 will be delivered by Prof. Joacim Rocklöv, Head of Heidelberg Planetary Health Hub and Alexander von Humboldt Professor at Heidelberg University. The subject of the keynote will be ‘How is climate change affecting infectious disease dynamics across Europe’. Prof. Joacim Rocklöv Professor Joacim Rocklöv is an Alexander…

The exciting Europe Biobank Week 2026 scientific programme is now available. This year we have four main scientific tracks: Track 1: Biobanking without borders: Connecting biodiversity, medicine and innovation Track 2: Ethics, regulation and digital innovation: Navigating the future of biobanking Track 3: Fit-for-purpose biobanking: Enhancing sample quality from collection to analysis Track 4: Advancing…