Dear Visitor,
Welcome to our renewed website!

Upon the closure of its grant period supported by EU6, the "Genomic Research for Human Health Consortium" , which served as a basis at the 2002 foundation of the National Biobank Network, decided to continue its activities after minor reorganization. The Consortium and the Leaders of the National Biobank Network has moved the database of the website www.biobank.hu to Pécs, thus it operates from Pécs starting January 2009.

The recent years has provided significant milestones in the biobanking field. The law on "Protection of human enetic data and regulations of human genetics testing, research and biobanking" (law XXI/2008) in effect as of July 1st 2008 was released to regulate diagnostic genetic testing, certain aspects of genetic research and foundation and operation of biobanks. Paragraph 23 of this enactment describes areas to be defined by the ministry, of which the decree determining the minimum requirements is already in effect.

At the European level, the EU7-funded initiative was launched in February 2008, aiming to prepare for the construction of a pan-European Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure (BBMRI) for biomedical and biological research in Europe and worldwide, building on existing infrastructures, resources and technologies, specifically complemented with innovative components and properly embedded into European ethical, legal and societal frameworks.

The government decided about the scientific-, technical-, and innovation-politic measures' implementation for the years 2007-2010 with its 1066/2007 (VIII.29) decree, in which the assessment of the national research infrastructure and the preparation of a developmental strategy together are featured as an independent project. The minister without portfolio responsible for research and development is in charge of the realization of this project. The minister has brought to life a governing body of expert to supervise the National Research Infrastructure Development Roadmap Project (NEKIFUT) and has assigned the National Office for Research and Technology to coordinate the project. The Governing Body, chaired by Norbert Kroó, academician, vice-chair of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, co-chaired by András Falus academician, exerts its activities in standing orders approved by the Minister. Amongst the aims of NEKIFUT, the detailed inventory of the national biobank system, as an existing infrastructure of great potential is emphasized. This inventory would facilitate the national and international collaborations.

The significant issues with possible future impact are being followed up by the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), and due to the contribution of the international scientific society, the European legistrature has recognized amongst general strategic issues, the importance of biobanking. Meanwhile, the above mentioned changes will bring duties for those already operating biobanks and those joining the biobanking field later. For the realization of these common objectives we would like to offer a partnership for all those interested.

27 January 2009