Denmark

Danish National Birth Cohort

The Danish National Birth Cohort collects samples from pregnant mothers and their children. This biobank features prospectively collected exposure data, an exceptionally large sample size, and the opportunity to follow all participants through linkages to national health registries. The collection includes more than 600,000 samples from over 100,000 women in early and late in pregnancy, and approximately 60,000 samples from umbilical cord.  Genome-wide association study (GWAS) data are also available from approximately 30,000 individuals.

Key facts

Name of the connected EIT Health partner: Lasse Boding
Number of individuals: Total 311,840
Biobank confirmed willingness to provide samples/data for EIT Health studies: Yes, subject to application to the DNBC management
Contact person(s) and contact data
(e-mail address, tel. no) for access purposes:		 Inger Kristine Meder, dnbc-research@ssi.dk,
+45 32688121
Number of samples: Total 625,614
– 192,834 Buffy coat
– 3,593 DNA
– 205,931 Filter paper
– 223,256 Plasma
Sample types: Refer to the web site
Omics data: GWAS data are available from approx. 30,000 individuals
Website: Danish National Birth Cohort

General information

Type of biobank: Samples from 100,000 pregnant women (early and late in pregnancy) and approx. 60,000 samples from umbilical cord.
If longitudinal the frequency: Population is followed up with questionnaires and in registries.
Link to central portal to seek samples and data: Danish Biobank Register www.biobanks.dk
Broad consent: Yes
Option to recall donors: Yes, if agreed with DNBC management.
Option to recall family members: Not available.

Biobank access procedure:

Major terms for access: The project must comply with DNBC guidelines and there must be a need for access to samples taken during the pregnancy period
Ethical and legal compliance: Danish law
Speed and reliability of delivery: Average time from fully defined and approved project to biological sample hand-out is 13 days
Pricing: Please see https://www.dnbc.dk/access-to-dnbc-data

Quality management system:

Link to operational procedures: Not available
Storage: Samples are handled and stored according to standard procedures.
Compliance with international standards: ISO accreditation (20378) primo 2021.
Current ISO certificates: In progress.

Data:

Clinical data linked to samples: Samples can be linked to clinical data in registries and laboratory test databases.
Data standards: Data are handled according to internal procedures.
Data security rules: Data security are provided by the Danish Health Data Authority (https://sundhedsdatastyrelsen.dk/da) and Aarhus University (http://international.au.dk/)

Biobank related service:

Research support, what type of expertise?: Data managers, statisticians, laboratory staff.
Core facility services; what type? Link?: Sample storage, preparation, distribution. DNA-extraction, normalization. Biomarker analysis.
Queries from national health registers: Yes, via Danish Biobank Register.

IP:

IP rules, what is negotiable?: Very little.
Requirements to study results (access etc.): Researchers must be willing to deliver back analysis results, so other researchers can obtain access to it. The legal and IT solutions required to effectuate this is still being created.
Participant’s right to the information: Dependent on contract.
Number of access contracts with industry: Not available.
Statistics about access if available: Not available.