Biobank for Cancer and Rare Diseases became the coordinator of the national network of biobanks in Slovakia
Following successful negotiations, Slovakia joined the largest European research biobank infrastructure, BBMRI-ERIC (Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure – European Research Infrastructure Consortium), in June 2025.
The Biobank for Cancer and Rare Diseases at JLF UK is now coordinating the national BBMRI.sk node, which is responsible for connecting Slovak biobanks and research centres, ensuring access to high-quality biological samples and data, supporting basic and translational biomedical research, and developing cooperation with the European biobank network.
The national node formally convened for the first time on 23 October 2025 at the Biobank in Martin. This meeting was an important step in establishing a coordinated biobank infrastructure in Slovakia. All BBMRI.sk founding partners participated: Comenius University in Bratislava - the Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin and the Faculty of Medicine in Bratislava, the National Cancer Institute in Bratislava, the F. D. Roosevelt University Hospital with Polyclinic in Banská Bystrica, the Biomedical Centre of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and the L. Pasteur University Hospital in Košice.
During the meeting, the partners established the national node's vision and mission, discussed the role of biobanks within other ESFRI infrastructures, conducted a SWOT analysis and prepared a five-year development plan. They also agreed to hold regular working meetings to discuss key topics, which will guide the further development of BBMRI.sk and support the effective coordination of biobanking activities in Slovakia.