BBMRI.it: Strengthening the Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure in Italy
The project intends to support the digitisation of Biobanks, consolidating the collection of biological resources in the European and national catalogue, with the aim of improving the diagnosis of multifactorial diseases
NRRP intervention area: Mission 4 – Education and Research
Component: 2 - From research to business
Investment: 3.1 - Fund for the creation of an integrated system of research and innovation infrastructures
Duration: the project will end on 31/10/2025
Total project funding: €23,396,591
Proposer: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (National Research Council)
Strengthening biobanks to identify highly homogeneous and informative biological data sets
The objectives of the project are:
- improve the searchability of biological resources at national and European level through the digitisation of biobanks and the creation of new state-of-the-art centres
- strengthen Italian biobanks within BBMRI.it, providing analytical support and facilitating access to biological samples
- encourage translational research, combining basic research and clinical practice, to produce reliable and accessible data for researchers
- facilitate access to infrastructure resources through research-training paths and implement ethical-legal services, ensuring compliance with standards of responsible research and innovation
- support biobanks in their ISO 20387 accreditation to ensure ever higher standards of quality and reliability of operations
Project structure and participation
Consortium Members
- CNR - Institute of Biomedical Technologies
- CNR - Institute of Genetics and Biophysics
- CNR - Institute for Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology
- Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna
- Università di Trento
- Università di Verona
- Università degli studi di Napoli "Federico II"
Areas of action
- WP1 - Strengthening The Infrastructure Backbone
- WP2 - Empowering BBMRI Common Services ELSI Infrastructure
- WP3 - BBMRI.it COMMON SERVICE IT
- WP4 - ICT infrastructure towards Biobanks data FAIRification
- WP5 - ACCESS
- WP6 - Governance
Project team
University of Bologna team
Scientific coordinator
Prof.ssa Patrizia Brigidi
Staff hired with project funds
PhD students
- Alice Bernadi
- Pietro Cimatti
Departments involved
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences - DIMEC
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences - DIBINEM
Activities within the project:
- establishment of a structure dedicated to the collection of samples and data on the microbiome, the 'UNIBO Microbiome Biobank', with the association of a research laboratory, responsible for the metagenomic and metabolomic analysis of cryopreserved samples
- strengthening of ATMA-EC, a non-profit Expert Centre with a partnership based on the mixed public-private model, for the management and analysis of biological samples and related data
- publication of the first edition of the 'Young Researcher Training Award', dedicated to researchers, to facilitate the integration of research, clinic and industry
- supply of materials and equipment for the university Microbiome Biobank,
- supply of staff dedicated to the Biobank and research laboratory
- training of staff (PhD) dedicated to the ATMA Expert Centre.