We Presented the Scientific Progress of the Cantabria Cohort at the Annual Europe Biobank Week Congress in Prague
Our colleagues Dr María José Marín and Dr Inés Santiuste, representing the Valdecilla Biobank, recently participated in the leading European event in the field of biobanking, Europe Biobank Week 2026. The congress took place in Prague from 19 to 22 May and brought together professionals and research infrastructures from across Europe to share advances and best practices in the management of biological collections and associated data.
This year, the Spanish delegation played a particularly prominent role, comprising the majority of biobanks that are part of the ISCIII Biomodels and Biobanks Platform (BBMRI.es). It was the largest national delegation attending the event and represented a significant contribution to the European biobanking infrastructure (BBMRI-ERIC), further strengthening the visibility and impact of Spanish research within this international forum.
During the congress, our colleagues from the Valdecilla Biobank presented a scientific poster showcasing results from work carried out within the framework of the Cantabria Cohort.
The study focused on evaluating participants’ experiences during the recruitment phase, using monitoring and feedback tools implemented through REDCap. The findings demonstrated the direct impact of optimisation measures introduced throughout the recruitment process, including participant feedback questionnaires. These tools helped identify key areas for improvement that have now informed the design of the follow-up phase, such as the inclusion of new physical assessments and enhancements to the study questionnaires.
The results also reinforced an important message: public participation not only strengthens research outcomes but also helps improve the scientific tools themselves and supports long-term participant engagement.
Through participation in this congress, biobanks and cohort studies from across Europe had the opportunity to learn first-hand about approaches and improvements that may be transferable to the sustainability of other large population-based studies.
We would like to congratulate and thank our colleagues from the Valdecilla Biobank for representing the entire team at this important international event.