The Biological Data Resource in MoBa

Since recruitment began in 1999, hundreds of thousands of biological samples, including blood, urine, saliva, and teeth, have been collected from MoBa participants and stored in the NIPH biobank. Most samples were obtained during pregnancy or at birth and have subsequently been analysed in laboratories worldwide to generate data on biomarkers relevant to health and disease.

Physical and mental health are shaped by a complex interplay of genetic, biological, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Understanding the mechanisms that influence disease risk, onset, progression, and outcomes therefore requires an integrative research approach that combines multiple types of data. The biological resources in MoBa provide access to genomic, epigenomic, metabolomic, and proteomic data, enabling researchers to examine disease development from a broad biological perspective. When combined with questionnaire data and linkages to national health registries, these resources offer unique opportunities to identify biological and environmental determinants of health and disease. Such knowledge can contribute to improved prevention strategies, diagnostics, prognostic tools, and treatment approaches.

An important principle of MoBa is that biological data generated from participant samples are returned to the cohort and made available for future research. Exceptions apply only when legal or ethical restrictions prohibit reuse, or when sample quality, analytical limitations, or methodological issues prevent the data from meeting acceptable scientific standards.

Researchers using returned biological data should be aware of potential limitations. In some cases, accompanying metadata, quality control metrics, or documentation may be incomplete or unavailable, and these factors should be considered when interpreting results.

The MoBa biological data resource currently comprises hundreds of variables generated from analyses of whole blood, plasma, urine, and DNA samples. These data are organised into distinct biological data products and grouped according to the corresponding omics category: genomics, epigenomics, metabolomics, or proteomics. Genomic data products are further classified by the type of genetic information they contain, including genome-wide genotype data, targeted single- and multi-locus genotype data, telomere measurements, and zygosity data.

Each biological data product is accompanied by detailed documentation describing the study design, sample collection procedures, analytical methods, data processing, detection or quantification limits, and any relevant restrictions on use. Where available, the documentation also includes references to peer-reviewed publications that have previously used the data.

The sections below provide an overview of the biological data products and biomarker variables currently available through MoBa. Product documentation can be accessed through the links provided at the bottom of this page and is organised according to the biological omics category most closely associated with the generated data.

For questions related to the MoBa biological data resource and associated product documentation, please contact biodata@fhi.no

For enquiries regarding access to MoBa data, the establishment of research projects, application procedures, or ethical and legal requirements, please contact the MoBa Administration at MoBaAdm@fhi.no.