HEAL Italia Foundation has completed the establishment of the Biobank Network, coordinated by Prof. Marialuisa Minghetti of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità.
The network brings together 14 biobanks hosted by universities and hospitals that have joined the initiative, with the aim of creating a nationally coordinated system for the standardized management and processing of biological materials and datasets, including diagnostic images collected according to harmonized protocols.
This network represents one of the strategic pillars of HEAL Italia, as it enables research aimed at defining prognostic and therapeutic profiles within the field of precision medicine.
HEAL Italia’s Biobank Network will collaborate—through the signing of a specific cooperation agreement—with BBMRI-ERIC, the European Research Infrastructure for biobanking and biomolecular resources, active in 20 EU Member States through National Nodes. Established in 2013 as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) under EU law, BBMRI-ERIC aims to facilitate responsible access to high-quality samples, data, and biomolecular resources, offering specialized services and multidisciplinary expertise.
The Italian node, BBMRI.it, currently includes 54 biobanks affiliated with universities, hospitals, IRCCSs, and research institutions, as well as 14 patient associations. It supports 290 research groups through its Common Services (ELSI, IT, and Quality), with the goal of advancing research in personalized medicine.
The main objective of the Memorandum of Understanding is to establish a network of thematic biobanks within the HEAL Italia network, which already meet the requirements defined by BBMRI.it. The parties intend to formalize and strengthen their cooperation, jointly recognizing the importance of biobanking and the fundamental role of biobanks in the development of personalized medicine.
The designated executive contacts for the agreement are Prof. Marialuisa Minghetti (ISS), Dr. Laura Leonardis (HEAL Italia), and Prof. Maria Luisa Lavitrano (BBMRI).