Europe Biobank Week Congress 2026 opens in Prague

The city of Prague is set to welcome over 700 delegates from 49 countries, including 42 exhibitors and sponsors for Europe Biobank Week (EBW) between 19-22 May 2026. This scale of global support embeds the congress at the most influential biobanking event of the year. EBW is unique in size and scale for bringing together researchers, biobank staff, institutions and industry who engage in the high-quality scientific programme.

The congress will host sessions highlighting the increasing importance of biobanking for human, environmental and animal health – collectively termed as One Health.

The Europe Biobank Week (EBW) Congress is taking place at Prague Congress Center, Prague, Czech Republic. It is jointly organised between BBMRI-ERIC (the European Research Infrastructure for Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources in Health and Life Science) and ESBB (the European, African and Middle Eastern Society for Biopreservation and Biobanking).

Agenda setting keynotes

Setting the agenda of major topics are two keynote speakers. Reflecting the importance of One Health is Prof. Joacim Rocklöv, Head of the Heidelberg Planetary Health Hub and Alexander von Humboldt Professor at Heidelberg University who will speak about how climate change is affecting infectious disease dynamics across Europe.

Picking up on the need for Europe to be the centre for scientific research innovation is Aneta Tyszkiewicz, Director of Science and Regulatory at the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). She will address how fragmentation and regulatory complexity are undermining competitiveness and how the Biotech Act can help unlock a more coherent, innovation-friendly ecosystem.

The Czech Republic takes centre stage

This year’s congress is hosted by BBMRI Czech Republic. Asst. Prof. Roman Hrstka, PhD, National Node Director of BBMRI.cz contributes:

“I am proud that a world-class congress such as Europe Biobank Week 2026 is being held in Prague. Biobanking has a long-standing tradition in the Czech Republic, thanks to BBMRI.cz, the national network of Czech biobanks.

“It serves as a major research infrastructure aimed at ensuring the availability and accessibility of high-quality biological materials and data, particularly for biomedical research at both national and international levels.”

For the opening ceremony, organisers are pleased to welcome Prof. RNDr. Jiří Zima, CSc, Rector of Charles Universityand Mr. Jakub Rybář, Commissioner for the Popularisation of Science and Talent Development at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

Welcoming the arrival of the congress to Prague, Mr. Rybář states:

“Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport as one of the stakeholders involved in the large research infrastructures welcome this opportunity to host the Europe Biobank Week 2026 in Prague and welcome all the scientific community from all the world. It is great opportunity to meet together and share our knowledge, experiences and successes. Through BBMRI.CZ, we can present the Czech scientific community as a valid part of excellent global science.”

Prof. Jens K. Habermann, BBMRI-ERIC Director General, and Mr. Dipl. Ing. Roland P. Leiminger, ESBB President, have led the joint organising committee.

Prof. Habermann shares:

“EBW is a unique event for the biobanking community that brings together academic and industry partners, patient representatives and policy makers to foster collaboration, exchange knowledge and explore future directions. I am very much looking forward to this year’s diverse programme of workshops, sessions and discussions, as well as the many opportunities for networking.”

Mr. Dipl. Ing Leiminger adds:

“Biobanks are an indispensable part of modern science today. They lay the foundation for excellent research, translational medicine and insights that extend far beyond individual institutions and countries. I wish us all inspiring encounters, thought-provoking discussions, and a Europe Biobank Week that enriches us both professionally and personally.”

Scientific programme highlights

In addition to the keynotes, the four-day programme includes four expert workshops, site visits, oral and poster presentations. Experts from across Europe and further afield will present to topics that address:

• Biobanking without borders: Connecting biodiversity, medicine and innovation. This includes topics on biodiversity preservation, local biobank hubs, human tissue insights and biobank organisation and strategy.
• Ethics, regulation and digital innovation: Navigating the future of biobanking. This includes topics on the EHDS and national perspectives, AI-driven research, secure and fair data integration, ethical and legal considerations (ELSI) and paediatric biobanking.
• Fit-for-purpose biobanking: Enhancing sample quality from collection to analysis. This includes advanced technologies, tools for quality implementation, improved data quality, pre-analytical best practices and preparing samples for multi-omics research.
• Advancing biobanking: Skills, partnerships and sustainable solutions for the future. This includes patient-centric engagement, public–private collaboration in infrastructure and research and eco-friendly green biobanking innovations.

Special sessions

The scientific programme also features additional special sessions:

• Returning biobank data to participants: Closing the loop is jointly organised with The European Partnership for Personalised Medicine (EP PerMed) and will be a vital discussion between stakeholders in the process of returning to people data coming from genetic/genomic studies.
• Rare disease insights: Explores domain-specific biobanks for rare diseases, emphasising the importance of cross-border collaboration and networks like the EuroBioBank (EBB).
• Oncology insights: Organised with ISOBM – International Society of Oncology and Biomarkers, highlights oncology biobanks and cross-disciplinary collaboration across oncology, pathology, radiology and molecular medicine.
• Neuroscience insights: Highlights biobanks advancing research on neurological and psychiatric disorders.

The closing ceremony will highlight the best oral and poster presentations, recognising community leaders who have made significant contributions to biobanking and make awards to biobanks that have achieved the BBMRI Quality Label for 2026.

Pre-congress visits

The pre-congress visits offer participants the opportunity to explore three leading Czech research infrastructures:

• Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, a leading centre in chemical biology, medicinal chemistry and drug discovery
• The Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, a key institute in haematology, biobanking and regenerative and transfusion medicine
• BIOCEV, an interdisciplinary research centre focused on molecular and cellular biology, biotechnology and biomedicine

Sponsors and exhibitors

The Europe Biobank Week 2026 is made possible by 42 sponsors that support the congress and who will be present at the Prague Congress Center to share their expertise and innovations that help make quality biobanking and life science research possible.

ENDS