Abstract: The European Space Agency (ESA) has chosen the Gulbenkian Institute of Molecular Medicine (GIMM) in Lisbon, Portugal, to host its new Human and Robotic Exploration (HRE) Biobank. This initiative, announced through a call for proposals in December 2024, falls under ESA’s Human and Robotic Exploration directorate. The biobank will serve as a centralized repository for biological samples collected from space missions, astronaut simulation experiments, and studies focused on the effects of microgravity on the human body. ESA aims to leverage this facility for conducting both longitudinal and cross-study analyses, ultimately enhancing health risk mitigation and enabling biomedical innovation in future human exploration.
The biobank is envisioned as a long-term scientific resource, a “time capsule,” as described by ESA’s Chief Exploration Scientist, Angelique Van Ombergen. It will preserve high-quality biological and environmental samples from analog studies and, eventually, from actual space missions. The biobank will be implemented in two phases. During the initial four months, the focus will be on establishing safety, operational, and transport protocols. The second phase, expected to begin in the last quarter of 2025, will mark the start of sample transfers to the new facility. This project underscores ESA’s commitment to maximizing the scientific return from space exploration through careful sample stewardship and structured research infrastructure.
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