Australian Human Microbiome Biobank · QUT, Brisbane

What is a Biobank?

A biobank is a place where biological samples are carefully collected, stored and preserved so that scientists can use them for research. Think of it as a library, but instead of books, it stores living microorganisms from the human body.

The Basics

How does a biobank work?

Rather than each research team collecting their own samples from scratch, scientists can access a biobank’s carefully preserved collection, saving time and enabling research that would otherwise be impossible. Here's how the process works at AHMB.

Step 1

Collecting samples

Just as a librarian collects books, we collect samples from donors. These samples contain the microorganisms that live in and on our bodies, from the gut, skin, mouth and more. We never collect human tissue or DNA, only the microbes themselves.

Step 2

Preservation

Books in a library are kept in carefully controlled conditions to prevent damage. In a similar way, our facility uses carefully controlled conditions to keep microorganisms safe, essentially placing each microbe into a long, frozen sleep until a scientist needs it.

Step 3

Organising and cataloguing

Imagine if all the books in a library were thrown on shelves randomly — it would be chaos. Every microbe in our collection is carefully identified, labelled and catalogued so scientists can quickly locate the specific microorganism they are looking for.

Step 4

Sharing with scientists

Approved researchers can request microbes from our collection to use in their studies, just like borrowing a book from a library. These samples help scientists learn more about how bacteria and other microorganisms influence human health.

The microbiome

What is the human microbiome?

Your body is home to trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microscopic life forms that live in and on you. Together, these make up what scientists call the microbiome. Far from being harmful, most of these microbes play an essential role in maintaining your health.

These tiny organisms help your body digest food, train your immune system, protect you from harmful microbes and may even influence your mood. The relationship between our microbes and our health is one of the most exciting areas of science today.

When the balance of these microbes is disrupted by factors such as antibiotics, poor diet or illness, it can have knock-on effects on our health. Scientists are studying these connections, with the aim of developing new ways to prevent and treat a wide range of conditions, including gut disorders, skin conditions and immune-related diseases.

Illustrated microorganisms representing the diversity of the human microbiome

What makes AHMB different

A dedicated human microbiome biobank

Biobanks come in many different forms. Some store blood or tissue samples, while others preserve environmental or plant material. What makes AHMB different is its exclusive focus on living microbial isolates from the human body, and the advanced technology used to recover and preserve them.

Human microbiome focus

Unlike general biobanks, AHMB is dedicated exclusively to microorganisms from the human body, covering the gut, skin, oral and vaginal microbiomes.

Advanced cultivation technology

Many gut microbes can only survive in oxygen-free environments. Our purpose-built facility allows us to recover microorganisms that most laboratories cannot culture.

Rigorous quality and ethics

Every isolate is carefully identified and given a unique reference before entering our collection. All research using our samples is ethically approved and donor privacy is protected at every stage.

Watch & Learn

See AHMB in action

Watch this short video to discover more about what we do at AHMB.

Where to next?

Learn more about AHMB

Whether you're a researcher looking to access our collection, a previous donor with questions, or simply curious about what we do — here's where to go next.

For Researchers

Find out how to access authenticated microbial isolates from our collection, explore collaboration opportunities or engage our fee-for-service cultivation platform.

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For Donors

Information for donors about what happened to their sample, their rights and how to get in touch with our team.

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About AHMB

Learn more about our infrastructure, scientific team, collaborators and the funding that supports our work.

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