Biobank facilities
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The Department of Biobanks (the Biobank) at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health was established as a research biobank in 1999 and is today a modern and efficient biobank. The biobank is accredited according to ISO 20387 and offers handling and storage of human biological samples in secure, high-quality solutions.
The Biobank has a well-established and professional system for the reception, processing, and retrieval of biological material. This ensures quality, security, and traceability for all samples stored in the Biobank. At the beginning of 2025, the Biobank was accredited according to ISO 20387:2018 — General requirements for biobanking, becoming the first biobank in Norway to receive this accreditation.
Practical planning
The Biobank aims to be involved early in the planning phase when new collections are initiated. In this way, we can provide advice and guidance to ensure the best possible quality. We can contribute with:
- Consultation on practical planning and study design, including protocols for sample collection and handling.
- Guidance on research activities related to the collection, storage, analysis, and use of biological material, such as appropriate material types, sampling equipment, and storage media.
Distribution of sampling equipment
We offer the following services for distributing sampling equipment:
- Sending sampling equipment, blood collection tubes, and information directly to participants.
- Dispatching sampling equipment and blood collection tubes to laboratories or collaborating partners.
Receiving, registration and processing
- Receiving Biological Material: We receive biological material directly from participants or through laboratories/collaborators.
- Registration in custom IT Solutions: We use tailored IT systems for identity control, de-identification, and barcode labelling, ensuring traceability throughout all processes.
- Sample Processing: Our services include DNA extraction, cryopreservation of PBMCs, fixation of whole blood, and standardised aliquoting of various material types.
Storage
The Biobank has a storage capacity of up to 2000 m2 and stores sample material at -20 °C, -80 °C, and -150 °C. We offer the following services:
- Received samples are distributed into suitable tubes with unique barcodes for full traceability.
- Material freezing occurs within specified time frames and logged.
- Continuous temperature monitoring with connected alarms ensures safety.
- Materials are stored in at least two different freezers for added security.
- Backup solutions are in place for power outages and freezer failures, including emergency response in case of alarm.
Retrieval of the biological material
It is the individual research projects, on whose behalf the Biobank stores biological material, that are responsible for assessing and approving the use of the biological material. Applications for access to biological material must therefore be directed to the project leader.
See the dedicated page on the Biobank's retrieval process for more information:
If you wish to apply for access of the biological material from the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), follow the link below:
Quality Assurance
The Biobank was the first biobank in Norway to be accredited according to ISO 20387:2018 — General requirements for biobanking. The accreditation was granted in February 2025 with the accreditation number BIO 001.
The quality system includes:
- Established procedures with written documentation for all processing steps, deviation handling, maintenance of equipment, management of external services, and staff training
- Validations and/or verifications of procedures
- Quality controls and internal quality studies
- Continuous improvement efforts, including the use of risk analyses and internal audits
- An established quality policy with clear quality objectives
In addition to the ISO 20387 accreditation, the Biobank was awarded the BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label in May 2025 — a recognition for biobanks that have undergone and passed an audit in accordance with the ISO 20387 standard. The quality label is visible in the BBMRI-ERIC Directory.
- Overview of accredited methods in BIO 001 (akkreditert.no)