Securing the Future of Microbiome Research and Innovation: The Need for Biobanking Infrastructure in the UK

‘Securing the Future of Microbiome Research and Innovation: the Need for Biobanking Infrastructure in the UK’ is a National Biofilms Innovation Centre-facilitated report from CABI Agriculture and Bioscience. 

The report is calls for a “highly ambitious enterprise” to create a microbiome biobank that will contribute significantly to the advancement of science and its application to human health.

The report provides an in-depth review of the science and opportunities in microbiome biobanking, inspired by the success of the UK Biobank. It delivers actionable recommendations to establish a world-leading “UK Microbiome Biobank” (UKMB) to support academic and industrial research. The report highlights the importance of microbes in health, agriculture, and the environment, and the need to conserve microbial resources for research and innovation. Key recommendations include establishing the UKMB as a hub-and-spoke model with thematic areas, incorporating existing infrastructure, promoting data and technology exchange, developing standards, and ensuring ethical and regulatory compliance. The UKMB aims to enhance economic competitiveness, support the bioeconomy, and address global challenges.