Cohorts are an essential foundation for answering critical questions related to health and supporting innovative developments and research activity. For example, to assess the influence of exogenous and endogenous factors on health and disease. This allows the effects of environmental pollutants on humans to be tracked, as well as the spread and impact of infectious diseases. Cohorts are also essential for the development of new concepts for cancer prevention and for healthy aging.

In its role as national biobanking research infrastructure BBMRI.at initiated the Austrian Cohort Initiate. Together with a team of resaerchers from different organization and research fields the Autrian Cohort Research Days were held April 25-26, 2023. Aim was to gather representatives of various cohort initiatives in Austria, understand the current situation of established and planned cohorts, and identify unmet and future needs. Presentations and discussions revolved around cohort details, experiences, research results, and future requirements for Austrian cohorts.

The Austrian Cohort Research Days served as a platform for knowledge exchange,  fostering collaboration among researchers and biobankers, and facilitated discussions on advancing Austrian cohorts.

Topics & Presentations

Five major topics, each opened by impulse lectures and followed by moderated discussions with experts from universities and companies, were on the agenda.

Presentations are available for download below.

Presentations of some cohorts