Helsinki Biobank and Integrated Biobank Jena receive ISO 20387 accreditation

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Helsinki Biobank has been accredited by the Finnish national accreditation service, FINAS, under accreditation code B002/A01/2025, in accordance with the SFS-EN ISO/IEC 20387 standard for human material biobanking. The scope of this accreditation covers key biobanking processes, including the reception of EDTA blood samples, aliquoting, freezing at -80°C, storage, and the delivery of samples and associated data for research purposes.

Accreditation verifies that Helsinki Biobank operates impartially and consistently, meeting international standards for competence. This achievement ensures the traceability, reliability, and high-quality processing of biological materials and data, supporting biomedical research with trusted resources.

The Helsinki Biobank QM team highlights:

“Leading the way in liquid laboratory operations – we’re proud to showcase our work and the impact we make! The accreditation process was a smooth success, thanks to a top-tier, highly approachable expert who made the experience both professional and inspiring.”

“It is amazing to see our entire biobank team committed to driving quality forward. Without every single one of our dedicated professionals, we wouldn’t be an accredited biobank today. Thank you, team!”

The Integrated Biobank Jena (IBBJ) has been accredited according to the DIN EN ISO 20387 standard. It is the third biobank in the German Biobank Alliance (GBA) to receive this accreditation. This certification confirms that IBBJ meets international quality standards for biobank operations, covering the handling and storage of biological materials such as plasma, serum, buffy coat, PBMCs, and DNA, as well as several testing methods.

In addition to this accreditation, IBBJ has been awarded the BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label, which is also based on the ISO 20387 standard and is visible in the BBMRI-ERIC European Directory. The label was officially awarded during Europe Biobank Week in Bologna. These achievements reflect IBBJ’s commitment to standardisation, traceability, and excellence in handling human biosamples and data, positioning the biobank as a trusted partner for national and international translational research.

This initiative is part of our 4th BBMRI.QM pillar, “Continuous Improvement,” included in BBMRI-ERIC’s  Work Programme 2025–2027.

PD Dr. Dr. Michael Kiehntopf, Head of the IBBJ and a member of the Executive Board of the German Biobank Node (GBN), notes:

“With this accreditation, we are demonstrating our long-standing biobanking philosophy: standardisation, and the highest levels of quality, traceability, transparency, and reliability when handling human biosamples and associated data. We are delighted that we have also been awarded the Quality Label, which shows that the IBBJ is a strong partner for translational research both nationally and internationally.”

Commenting on these achievements, Andrea Wutte, MSc, Head of BBMRI-ERIC Quality Management explains:

“I extend my sincere congratulations to the teams at Helsinki Biobank and Integrated Biobank of Jena on achieving both the BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label and ISO 20387 accreditation. With these achievements, they join the group of outstanding biobanks in the BBMRI-ERIC community— currently comprising eight biobanks with the BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label and 12 with ISO 20387 accreditation. This is a clear sign of their outstanding commitment to quality and their vital role in supporting high-impact biomedical research with trusted samples and data.”