Welcome to MIABIS, the Minimum Information About Biobank data Sharing initiative! MIABIS is dedicated to standardising data elements used to describe biobanks, research on samples, and associated data. Our goal is to enhance interoperability among biobanks sharing their valuable data and samples.
MIABIS Core 2.0, established by Merino-Martinez et al. in 2016, defined general attributes at an aggregated/metadata level for describing biobanks, sample collections, and (research) studies. Building upon this foundation, new MIABIS components have been approved by BBMRI-ERIC to describe samples and sample donors at the individual level (Eklund et al., 2020). MIABIS Core was updated to version 3.0 by Eklund et al. in 2024 including minimal information describing biobanks, (sample and data) collections, research resources (previously called studies) and networks – on aggregate level.
The MIABIS governance model, established by BBMRI-ERIC in 2016, organizes the work on definitions into focused components, each with a predefined scope based on specific use cases and involving working groups with participants from BBMRI-ERIC National Nodes and domain experts. The final approval of MIABIS components and entities rests with the BBMRI-ERIC Management Committee.
The MIABIS data standard is constantly being updated. Please feel free, to join our work and get into contact via miabis@lists.bbmri-eric.eu. If you have any issues, you would like the MIABIS team to consider, please submit them as an ISSUE to this GitHub page.
The MIABIS Core, crucial for initiating collaboration and enabling sample and data exchange, comprises four main entities: Biobank, Collection, Research Resource, and Network. MIABIS Core 3.0 (Eklund et al., 2024) further refines these attributes, providing a modular structure for easy adherence and extension.
- Data describing Biobank
- Data describing Collection
- Data describing Network
- Data describing Research Resource
Two additional aggregate-level components have been prepared for Imaging (DICOM-MIABIS) and for Standard Operating Prodecures (SOPs). Ongoing developments include additional components describing dataset types and biobank capabilities, contributing to the continuous evolution of the MIABIS data standard.
- Data describing Image Collections (Scapicchio et al., 2021).
- Data describing Dataset Types - under active development
- Data describing Biobank Services - under active development
- Data describing SOPs (in preparation)
In response to the need for more detailed information, MIABIS has extended its terminology to include individual-level components, describing samples, sample donors, and events. These entities enhance the ability to perform sophisticated queries. Ongoing developments include an additional component describing molecular pathology.
Data describing Sample, Sample Donor and Event v1.0 (Eklund et al., 2020)
Data describing Digital Pathology - under active development
- all attributes
- all structured data
- [all lists]
The MIABIS Entity-Relationship Diagram represents relationships between different MIABIS Components and entities included in those components.
The MIABIS standard is constantly evolving and we welcome your feedback. You can reach us at the collective email address miabis@lists.bbmri-eric.eu. - If you have specific questions, please directly address the following responsibles.
- MIABIS in general - Niina Eklund (and Cäcilia Engels)
- Core - Cäcilia Engels
- Sample, Donor and Event - Niina Eklund
- Dataset Types - Gabi Anton (with: Omics - Kaisa Silander; Imaging - Heimo Müller)
- Digital Pathology - Heimo Müller
- Biobank Services - Andrzej Strug
- Data models and implementations - Michael Neumann
- BBMRI-ERIC Directory https://directory.bbmri-eric.eu/
- BBMRI-ERIC Federated Search https://locator.bbmri-eric.eu/
- GBN Sample Locator https://samplelocator.bbmri.de/
- OpenSpecimen MIABIS v3 integration
- Database implementation
- MIABIS on FHIR or on GitHub: https://github.com/BBMRI-cz/miabis-on-fhir
- Medical Informatics Initiative Germany: FHIR Core Data Set Modul Biobank/Biosample
Repository for scripts to support the operations of the BBMRI-ERIC Directory