German Biobank Node (GBN) and German Biobank Alliance (GBA) have appointed their Steering Committee for the period from 2022 to 2023. It consists of a total of twelve members – six were elected by the the GBA partners, while six others were pre-selected by their leadership function or their central role in the work areas. The latter include:
- Dr. Ronny Baber (Leipzig Medical Biobank) for the work areas stakeholder engagement and public relations,
- Prof. Dr. Michael Hummel (GBN Director, Berlin),
- PD Dr. Michael Kiehntopf (Integrated Biobank Jena) for the quality management work area,
- Prof. Dr. Martin Lablans (German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg) for the IT work area,
- PD Dr. Sara Nußbeck (Central Biobank UMG Göttingen) for the work area education and training,
- and Dr. Sabrina Schmitt (BioMaterialBank Heidelberg) for the quality management work area.
The following members were elected as biobank representatives by the GBA partners::
- Dr. Heidi Altmann (Dresden Integrated Liquid Biobank of BioBank Dresden),
- Dr. Gabriele Anton (Helmholtz Zentrum Munich),
- Dr. Daniel Brucker (Interdisciplinary Biomaterial and Database Frankfurt),
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Illig (Hannover Unified Biobank),
- Prof. Dr. Roland Jahns (Interdisciplinary Biomaterial and Database Würzburg),
- and Prof. Dr. Alexandra Nieters (Freeze Biobank Freiburg).
The twelve Steering Committee (SC) members will elect a deputy GBN spokesperson from their ranks in the first quarter of 2022.
The SC supports GBN in the implementation of the work programme and ensures that the biobanks of the GBA work together effectively. The committee decides on all GBA matters and shapes strategic matters. The next SC election is expected to take place at the end of 2023.
