IT

Networked IT infrastructure for multicentre sample collections.

GBN’s IT network links biobanks and facilitates the search for biosamples and associated data across multiple locations.

German Biobank Directory

The directory is a centralised register of biobanks and their collections. See here for step-by-step instructions on how to sign in / register and answers to frequently asked questions about registering biobanks.

How to sign in / register

1) Go to directory.bbmri.de and click on the “Sign in” button at the top right.

2) Click on the blue bar “With BBMRI-ERIC AAI – German Biobank Directory” and you will be given two login options:

If your institution is listed in the German National Research and Education Network (DFN), select your institution from the list and log in as usual.

If you don’t have a DFN account, click on the green button “Sign in/Sign up with LifeScience Hostel” to set up a Hostel IdP account. Click on “Sign up” (below the green “Login” button) and you will then be prompted to enter your name, email address, a password and your organisation’s name. Click on “Submit” once you have completed all fields.

3) You will receive a registration email – check your spam folder if there is nothing in your inbox. Use the link contained in this email to complete your registration.

4.) In order to be authorized to edit the Directory after a successful registration process, log in to the Directory again completely (so that it says "Sign out" in the upper right corner) and contact germanbiobanknode@remove-this.charite.de by email. You can then be provided with editor rights by the office.

Registration FAQs

How can I add a biobank to the directory?

Select the “Biobank” tab to add your biobank to the directory. Click on the green plus symbol to open a form in which you can enter your biobank’s details.

What is the correct formulation for ID codes?

ID codes may not contain any spaces!

There are three different types of ID codes: for contacts, biobanks and collections.

Contacts: bbmri-eric:contactID:DE_KDEB (the identifier should be clear and easy to find)
Biobank: bbmri-eric:ID:DE_KDEB (replace the “KDEB” in this code with the abbreviation for your biobank)
Collection: bbmri-eric:ID:DE_KDEB:collection:STUDY-XY (replace “STUDY-XY” with the name of your study)

What are “collections”?

Describe the different collections your biobank offers in greater detail under the “Collections” tab. Each biobank must indicate at least one collection they offer.

How can I enter contact information?

Select the “Contacts” tab and click on the green plus symbol to enter the contact details for your institution.

What is meant with “network”?

GBA is a network, for example. Further networks can be added, or this field can also be left empty.

Is it possible to only complete the fields marked with an asterisk (*)?

To optimally serve search queries, the fields feeding the search parameters: "Diagnosis Available", "Sample Materials", "Access Policy" and "Quality” should be defined in addition to the fields marked with *.

What are Quality Marks?

In order to make the certifications or accreditations of your biobank or collection visible, please send a copy of the certificate documentation to germanbiobanknode@charite.de. Your information will be forwarded to the QM offices of BBMRI-ERIC, verified there and entered in the directory as a "Quality Mark".

You will find answers to further questions in the Data Manager Manual. In case of questions, please contact IT Coordinator Dr. Petra Duhm-Harbeck (petra.duhm-harbeck@remove-this.charite.de).

IT