SLOVAKIA JOINS BBMRI-ERIC AS FULL MEMBER

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Slovakia joins BBMRI-ERIC as full member

Slovakia has been officially confirmed as full member of BBMRI-ERIC. Membership was approved by the BBMRI-ERIC Assembly of Members in June 2025 with membership status officially commencing from July.

BBMRI-ERIC’s Director General, Prof. Jens Habermann says:

“We are very pleased to welcome Slovakia as a new Member State. Its strong academic and clinical base, combined with modern biomedical research infrastructure, will be a valuable addition to our community.

“The continued growth of BBMRI-ERIC will further accelerate our mission to facilitate access to high-quality samples, data and biomolecular resources for scientific advancements in health and life sciences.”

Slovakia’s profile

Slovakia will be represented in the Assembly of Members by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic.

Slovakia’s National Biobank is the Biobank for Cancer and Rare Diseases, a specialised scientific research facility of Comenius University, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin. The Biobank houses three main types of biological material depositories, each maintained at different temperatures: a cryo depository at -190°C, a quadbank depository at -80°C, and an FFPE and histological slide depository at 21°C.

The founding biobank network is based on the Bioford project and also includes: The National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bratislava, Faculty of Medicine in Bratislava, Biomedical Research Centre of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and National Institute of Rheumatic Diseases, Piešťany. A new consortium agreement is being prepared to incorporate additional members and to establish nationwide geographic representation across Slovakia.

Reflecting on the significance of being part of BBMRI-ERIC, Dr. Ján Kočišek, Senior State Counselor at the Department of Research Infrastructures, Division of Research and Development, Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic, says:

“Membership in BBMRI-ERIC means being a part of a trusted European network that drives excellence in Biobanking and biomedical research through collaboration, quality and innovation. We are very honoured to be part of the BBMRI family. We hope that by Slovakia’s participation in this research infrastructure we will contribute to improving the already excellent infrastructure.

“Our scientific delegate Assoc. prof. RNDr. Zuzana Danková. PhD. has been dedicated to science and research for more than 20 years, with an emphasis on the analysis of genetic factors underlying cardiovascular and cancer diseases. She has participated in several epidemiological and population studies and screening programs. In recent years, she has been implementing systematic biobanking in Slovakia, thus trying to eliminate unwanted pre-analytical factors leading to an increase in the quality and reproducibility of research. She did a lot of work that made it possible for us to be members today. I hope that our cooperation with BBMRI-ERIC will be long-term and beneficial.”

Describing the significance of joining the BBMRI-ERIC community, Assoc prof. RNDr. Zuzana Danková, Slovakia’s National Node Director explains:

“Becoming a member is a great honour and privilege for us. It opens new opportunities for advanced biomedical research and international collaboration. By ensuring proper and high-quality management of biological samples, we also aim to support translational research, clinical trials, and innovations that will improve the health of the Slovak population. At the same time, our membership brings responsibility – to help optimise sample lifecycle processes and implement harmonised biological workflows, always with full respect for donor rights, applicable laws, and ethical values.”

About BBMRI-ERIC

BBMRI-ERIC is the European Research Infrastructure for biobanking and biomolecular resources established in 2013 under EU legislation. BBMRI-ERIC enables the development of innovative technology and processes as a cross-domain network that facilitates responsible access to high quality samples, data and biomolecular resources. We achieve this through multidisciplinary expertise and service provision, scientific excellence, knowledge exchange and partnerships in health and life sciences. BBMRI-ERIC’s vision is simplified as: “Biobanking for a Healthier World”. Its headquarters are in Graz, Austria.

BBMRI-ERIC Members: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland.

BBMRI-ERIC Observers: Denmark, IARC/WHO, Qatar, Spain and Türkiye.

For more information about BBMRI-ERIC, visit www.bbmri-eric.eu