The Integrated Biobank Jena (IBBJ) is the third biobank in the German Biobank Alliance (GBA) to be accredited in accordance with the DIN EN ISO 20387 standard, which was developed specifically for biobanks. This demonstrates the biobank's commitment to maintaining the highest standards of quality control and assurance, thereby fulfilling the requirements for excellent research. The extensive scope of the accreditation is particularly noteworthy: The IBBJ had several biological materials - including plasma, serum, buffy coat, PBMCs and DNA - as well as various test methods accredited. The IBBJ has also been awarded the ‘Quality Label’ of the European biobank network BBMRI-ERIC. This label is also based on DIN EN ISO 20387 and can be seen in the BBMRI-ERIC European directory. The award ceremony took place during Europe Biobank Week in Bologna this year.
Commitment and expertise are the keys to success
PD Dr. Dr. Michael Kiehntopf, head of the IBBJ and a member of the Executive Board of the German Biobank Node (GBN), emphasises: "With this accreditation, we are demonstrating our long-standing biobanking philosophy: standardisation, and the highest levels of quality, traceability, transparency, and reliability when handling human biosamples and associated data. We are delighted that we have also been awarded the Quality Label, which shows that the IBBJ is a strong partner for translational research both nationally and internationally."
The successful accreditation was made possible by the cooperation of the IBBJ team under the leadership of Dr. Christine Hess, IBBJ biobank manager, and the technical expertise and support of Dr. Juliane Kaufmann, quality manager at the Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics (IKCL). The entire team supported the preparations with great commitment and expertise. "Accreditation was an intensive but very rewarding process. As a team, we critically scrutinised, developed and optimised our processes," said Christine Hess.
Accreditation, Quality Label and GBN support
DIN EN ISO 20387 sets out the specific requirements for biobanks that collect, process, store and provide biosamples. This standard has been in available in Germany since 2020. Accreditation was carried out by the German Accreditation Body (DAkkS) with comprehensive support from the GBN quality programme. GBN offerings such as 'Friendly Audits' played a central role in preparing the IBBJ. In addition to formal accreditation, the BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label demonstrates the high quality and visibility of the biobank at a European level.
Dr. Cornelia Specht, GBN's managing director, congratulates: "We are delighted about the accreditation of the IBBJ and the awarding of the Quality Label. These successes demonstrate the effectiveness of continuous quality management and targeted support through our quality programme."
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