The importance of the role of biobanking within biomedical research is recognized through the collaboration between EATRIS-ERIC and BBMRI-ERIC.
EATRIS-ERIC (the European Infrastucture for Translational Medicine) and BBMRI-ERIC (the Biobanking and BioMolecular Resources Research Infrastructure) have formalised their collaboration through the signing of a Memorandum of Understadning (MoU) on the 16 March 2014.
The purpose of this MoU is to set up a collaboration between the two Research Infrastructures (RI) EATRIS-ERIC and BBMRI-ERIC. The main objectives of this collaboration will be to advance the development of biobanking and translational research infrastructures, and to improve quality and access to biobanking and biomarker development resources and expertise throughout Europe.
The governance of the collaboration will be dealt with as part of the structuring of a joint project and will be stipulated in a Collaboration Agreement. Partners and stakeholders that will be involved in the development and implementation of the collaboration are other ESFRI BMS RI’s or RI preparatory projects required for the R&D pathway and other relevant international organisations.
By combining the significant resources and expertise residing in these two permanent international infrastructures, Europe is better positioned to tackle the significant challenges of innovation in the age of personalized medicine.
Giovanni Migliacci, Scientific Director, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Jan-Eric Litton, Director General, Graz, Austria. http://bbmri-eric.eu
