Automating the Future of Biobanking

UK Biocentre is a respected leader in biobanking, high-throughput sample processing and management. Established by UK Biobank in 2011 to support academic research, we’re now a not-for-profit organization that supports and facilitates large-scale biomedical, pharmaceutical and clinical research studies.

We enable life-changing research in the academic, pharmaceutical and biotech communities. In 2025, UK Biocentre aims to be a centre of excellence for biobanking in the UK.

Sample storage presents several key challenges, particularly when collections need to be preserved for years or even decades. Maintaining stable storage conditions is essential for ensuring long-term sample viability, so when new analytical techniques emerge, well-preserved samples remain valuable assets for future research.

One of the biggest challenges is temperature stability. Frequent opening and closing of freezer doors throughout the day can lead to small but cumulative fluctuations, which, over time, may degrade samples and compromise their future usability. As collections grow, freezer capacity becomes a limiting factor, turning valuable scientific assets into a maintenance burden. Laboratories often struggle with space constraints as freezers inevitably fill up, consuming both physical space and increasing operational costs.

Additionally, older freezers become less energy efficient, often using up to twice as much power compared to when they were new. This raises concerns around sustainability, cost and reliability.

The risk of freezer failure is another critical challenge – unexpected breakdowns can pose a major threat to irreplaceable samples, which creates the need for robust contingency planning and advanced storage solutions.

At UK Biocentre, addressing these challenges means implementing secure, efficient and scalable storage solutions, ensuring that sample collections remain viable, well-managed and ready for future scientific breakthroughs.

The introduction of automated technologies, such as the BioArc Ultra, has significantly enhanced UK Biocentre’s ability to store and manage samples efficiently. These advanced systems ensure highly reliable protection of sample quality by maintaining precise temperature control and therefore minimizing the risk of degradation.

As sample collections grow, manual storage methods become increasingly inefficient and more susceptible to errors and risks.

Automation provides a secure, consistent and scalable solution, improving inventory management, reducing variability and mitigating operational risks.

At UK Biocentre, using automated storage solutions has helped to lower running costs, optimize space and support environmentally responsible practices, ensuring that samples remain safeguarded for vital research projects. By streamlining sample management, these technologies enhance reliability and operational efficiency, allowing researchers to focus on scientific discovery with confidence.

The BioArc Ultra plays a crucial role in helping UK Biocentre reduce the environmental impact of clinical and life science research by significantly improving operational efficiency and sustainability.

This advanced automation system optimizes storage capacity, reducing the overall footprint, energy consumption and labor requirements compared to traditional storage methods. Its eco-friendly refrigeration system, with zero Ozone Depletion Potential and zero Global Warming Potential, directly supports UK Biocentre’s carbon emission reduction goals, making it a more sustainable choice for long-term sample preservation.

The BioArc Ultra lowers electricity consumption and operational costs, while its highly efficient automation allows for scalable sample retrieval and increased throughput.

Through these innovations, UK Biocentre continues to advance sustainability in science, ensuring that essential sample storage is both efficient and environmentally conscious, aligning with the broader mission of reducing the ecological footprint of research.

Apart from Our Future Health, the largest public health study in the UK, it will hold samples from Genomics England, NIHR Bioresource and other important research projects.