Success Story
World Patient Safety Day – ‘Environmental Influences in Pregnancy’
How biobankers and researchers at BBMRI.at partner Med Uni Wien work together
On World Patient Safety Day, BBMRI.at highlighted how its partner MedUni Wien Biobank contributes to safer pregnancies and healthier newborns. By studying the early life exposome and storing vital mother–newborn samples, researchers are advancing patient safety and integrating One Health perspectives into biomedical research.
Understanding the early life exposome
On the occasion of World Patient Safety Day on 17 September 2025, BBMRI.at highlighted ground-breaking research with contribution of the biobank at Med Uni Wien, one of its long-standing partners. Scientist Claudia Gundacker and her team at Med Uni Wien are investigating how environmental factors during pregnancy can shape the health of future generations – an important contribution to patient safety in paediatric and newborn care.
The research focuses on the early life exposome, which covers all non-genetic environmental influences on human health. This includes chemical exposures, lifestyle, socioeconomic conditions, infections, and even heat stress. “Understanding these factors is essential for improving pregnancy outcomes and protecting newborn health,” explains Claudia Gundacker, senior group leader at the Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics.
Environmental risks and adverse birth outcomes
One of the central questions concerns adverse birth outcomes, such as premature labour, preeclampsia, or low birth weight. To address this, researchers collect and analyse a wide range of samples – including blood and urine from pregnant women, umbilical cord blood, placentas, and breast milk. Each type of sample provides unique insights: while blood reveals short-term exposures, the placenta can serve as a “biological archive” of past influences.
The role of BBMRI.at and MedUni Wien Biobank
Here, the BBMRI.at partner MedUni Wien Biobank, led by Helmuth Haslacher, plays a vital role. By contributing pre-analytical knowhow – where BBMRI.at has profound expertise – and secure sample storage, the biobank ensures the high quality of specimens and data that form the backbone of this research. Biobanks not only support with their work reproducible and cost-efficient studies but also allow scientists to revisit samples for new questions, for instance to assess long-term exposure trends.
One Health perspectives for future generations
This work aligns with the One Health approach, which recognises the interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health. By integrating exposome research with One Health perspectives, scientists can better understand how environmental risks, such as pollution, impact health across generations – and translate this knowledge into improved patient safety and targeted public health measures.
Biobanking; More than samples
BBMRI.at is proud to support with work and particularly through its partners this important research at the interface of environment, reproduction, and child health. This demonstrates how biobanking is more than providing samples: it delivers the know-how and infrastructure needed to advance science and safeguard future generations.
Courtesy of Claudia Gundacker