The Interdisciplinary Bank of Biomaterials and Data Würzburg (ibdw) achieves the BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label

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The Interdisciplinary Bank of Biomaterials and Data Würzburg (ibdw) has officially been awarded the prestigious BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label, confirming that it operates at the highest level of quality and reliability. By aligning its processes with international standards such as ISO 20387, the ibdw ensures that researchers accessing its collection can rely on standardised, high-quality samples essential for reproducible and impactful medical research. 

Established in 2011 as one of five centralised national biobanks in Germany within the framework of the governmental funding program “Nationale Biobank-Initiative,” the ibdw is a joint core facility of both the University Hospital and the Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg. It acts as a faculty-wide service provider of human biological material for medical research. 

From the start, a main emphasis was placed on comprehensive automation and the seamless integration of sample collection into clinical routine workflows, thereby securing the highest quality standards. The ibdw collects fluid and tissue samples in parallel from patients based on a broad informed consent that does not limit future research use. 

The ibdw works in close collaboration within the University Hospital with specialised clinical centers, including the “Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken” (CCCM), the “Comprehensive Heart Failure Center” (CHFC), and the “Center for Rare Diseases” (CRD). This proximity enables the immediate transfer of research results into clinical applications, providing optimised treatment to patients. 

In addition, the ibdw supports clinical and epidemiological studies by providing IT tools, equipment, logistics and laboratory services for collecting, processing, managing and storing samples. 

Prof. Roland Jahns, Director of ibdw, states:  

“Receiving the BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label is a proud milestone for the entire team. This achievement is the result of two years of intensive preparation, a challenging journey made possible onlythrough extraordinary team spirit and the unwavering dedication of every colleague.” 

The ibdw expresses its sincere gratitude to the German Biobank Network (GBN) for its invaluable support and guidance throughout this process. 

Commenting the achievement, Andrea Wutte, Head of Quality Management at BBMRI-ERIC, highlights:   

“The ibdw stands out for its strong integration of biobanking processes into clinical workflows and its high level of automation. These are important elements for ensuring consistency, efficiencyand high-quality sample handling at scale.”  

With this new international recognition, the ibdw remains fully committed to upholding these rigorous standards and evolving its processes to support the next generation of medical breakthroughs.