site.btaBulgaria Joins European Research Infrastructure for Biobanking, Biomolecular Resources

Sofia, May 29 (BTA) - Bulgaria has joined the Biobanking and BioMolecular resources Research Infrastructure - European Research Infrastructure Consortium (BBMRI-ERIC), the Education and Science Ministry reported on Tuesday.

This country became the 21st member of the organization and will be represented by the Medical University in Sofia, which will serve as the coordinating institution of the National University Complex for Biomedical and Applied Research, part of the National Roadmap for Research Infrastructure from 2014. The Education and Science Ministry will be the financial coordinator of all research infrastructures included in the Roadmap. Next month, the Ministry and the Medical University in Sofia will work jointly with the BBMRI-ERIC on the creation of a national contact point, national network of Bulgarian biobanks, which will interact with BBMRI-ERIC and utilize and distribute the organization's services in Bulgaria.

The Director General of BBMRI-ERIC, Erik Steinfelder, welcomed Bulgaria to the organization. He noted that Bulgarian biobanks will now be connected to the world in an unprecedented way and Bulgarian researchers and biobank operators will have access to knowledge, IT tools and individual guidance by BBMRI-ERIC, which will support the further development of research of biobanks and biomolecular resources in this country. Steinfelder also said that the services offered will make new treatment methods possible.