Biobanks and One Health approach

Table Of Contents

Overview #

The emergence of complex global health challenges, such as pandemics and biodiversity loss, has demonstrated the limitations of traditional health models focused exclusively on humans. The One Health approach provides a framework for addressing these challenges by recognising that human health is interconnected with the health of animals, plants, and ecosystems.

For the biobanking community, One Health represents an opportunity to expand the role of biological collections from repositories supporting primarily human biomedical research into integrated infrastructures supporting cross-species, environmental, and societal health research.

Biobanks can contribute to One Health by enabling:

  • collection and preservation of biological material from multiple domains;
  • integration of biological samples with environmental, epidemiological, and clinical data;
  • long-term monitoring of emerging threats;
  • development of evidence for prevention and preparedness policies;
  • collaboration between human health, veterinary, environmental, agricultural, and ecological research communities.

One Health concept #

The One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP), established by the quadripartite partnership of:

  • World Health Organization (WHO),
  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO),
  • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),
  • World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH),

defines One Health as:“An integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals and ecosystems.”

The approach recognises that health outcomes emerge from interactions between:

  • humans;
  • domestic and wild animals;
  • plants;
  • microorganisms;
  • ecosystems and environmental conditions.

One Health is therefore not simply an animal health concept. It is a broader understanding of human health that places people within their ecological and biological context.

Biobanks and One Health #

One Health relies on understanding complex interactions across biological systems. This requires access to high-quality biological samples; harmonised metadata; interoperable databases; and linked environmental and epidemiological information.

Biobanks provide the infrastructure needed to transform biological material into evidence for:

  • disease surveillance;
  • outbreak prediction;
  • prevention strategies;
  • public health interventions.

The One Health Joint Action Plan identifies strengthening data and evidence as a key pathway for implementation. Biobanks directly contribute to this objective by enabling research based on reliable biological resources.

Examples of One Health biobanking applications #

1. Emerging infectious diseases: such diseases frequently originate through interactions between humans, animals, and environments. Biobanks can support:

  • pathogen discovery;
  • genomic surveillance;
  • outbreak investigation;
  • monitoring of pathogen evolution.

2. Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): it represents a major One Health challenge because resistant organisms and antimicrobial use are connected across hospitals; farms; wildlife; wastewater. Biobanks can support AMR research by collecting:

  • human clinical isolates;
  • veterinary samples;
  • environmental microorganisms;
  • genomic sequence data.

3. Environmental Health Monitoring. Environmental biobanks can support research on:

  • pollutants;
  • climate change impacts;
  • ecosystem degradation;
  • chemical exposure.

4. Agriculture and Food Systems. Food security and safety are central One Health concerns. Biobanking can support:

  • crop resilience studies;
  • livestock health research;
  • foodborne pathogen surveillance;
  • sustainable agriculture.

5. Natural History Collections. Long-term biological collections can provide historical evidence on:

  • biodiversity changes;
  • pathogen evolution;
  • environmental transformation.

Practical implications for biobanks #

Implementing a One Health approach requires changes in traditional biobanking practices.

One Health requires collecting material beyond human samples, including materials coming from animals, plants, water, microorganisms, environment.

It is necessary to:

  • establish collaboration between human biobanks; veterinary biobanks; environmental repositories; microbial collections, etc. beyond working in silos and beyond focus on mere collection of human samples
  • harmonise sample annotation, collection protocols, exposure data, clinical and ecological metadata
  • strategically ensure that samples meet future scientific needs and collect the necessary information (fit for purpose)
  • a proper governance framework is in place
  • focus on data integration and develop interoperable standards: combining biological, ecological, and clinical information requires interoperability, common standards and technical infrastructure
  • strengthen legal and ethical capacity, developing expertise onaccess and benefit sharing; data and material transfer; data governance;    

In a nutshell, successful One Health research requires interoperable samples, data sharing, collaboration, and appropriate governance.  

Key ethical, legal and societal implications #

  • conceiving humans as part of interconnected biological systems beyond Anthropocentric Models: One Health challenges traditional approaches centred exclusively on human interests, shifting from an anthropocentric model which conceives humans as separate from nature to a model where humans are part of interconnected biological systems
  • Community Engagement: successful One Health research depends on cooperation among scientists, communities, healthcare professionals, environmental stakeholders
  • Access and Benefit Sharing: One Health research frequently involves biological material and data crossing national borders. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol are central in this regard, establishing principles about access to genetic resources and fair sharing of benefits.

Legal and ethical international and EU sources #

International level #

European Union level #

  • Regulation (EU) 2022/2371: On serious cross-border threats to health, explicitly embedding the formal legislative definition and scope of the One Health approach
  • Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health, Animal Health Law
  • Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety
  • Regulation (EU) 2019/6, Veterinary Medicinal Products Regulation
  • Regulation (EU) 2019/4, Medicated Feed Regulation
  • Regulation (EU) 2016/2031, Protective Measures against Plant Pests
  • Regulation (EU) 2024/1991, Nature Restoration Regulation

BBMRI-ERIC Resources #

External resources #

Relevant literature #

  • One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP), Adisasmito WB, Almuhairi S, Behravesh CB, Bilivogui P, Bukachi SA, et al. (2022) One Health: A new definition for a sustainable and healthy future. PLoS Pathog 18(6): e1010537. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1010537
  • Fawzy M, Helmy YA. The One Health Approach is Necessary for the Control of Rift Valley Fever Infections in Egypt: A Comprehensive Review. Viruses. 2019 Feb 6;11(2):139. doi: 10.3390/v11020139. PMID: 30736362; PMCID: PMC6410127.
  • Hildah Tendo Nansikombi, Jane Frances Zalwango, Alex Ndyabakira, Benon Kwesiga, Lilian Bulage, Alex Riolexus Ario, Julie R. Harris, Irene Byakatonda Kyamwine, Dan Tumusiime, Fred Monje, The importance of a One Health approach in preventing human Rift Valley fever infections in Uganda, IJID One Health, Volume 4, 2024, 100034, ISSN 2949-9151, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijidoh.2024.100034
  • Diop B, Faye SLB, Cisse B, Sow GHC, Ndao A, Badiane M, Diakhate F, Dia N, Ndiaye F, Bocoum M, Camara B, Faye FN, Diop R, Mbengue MRH, Diongue FB, Thiam OA, Duclos V, Ndiaye D, Ba ML, Fall M, Lo M, Ba IO, Sall Y, Kébé K, Ndour D, Dieye PS and Ndiaye M (2026) Artificial intelligence-supported One Health surveillance for early warning of Rift Valley fever in Senegal. Front. Trop. Dis. 7:1778438. doi: 10.3389/fitd.2026.1778438
  • Lajaunie C, Ho CW. Pathogens collections, biobanks and related-data in a One Health legal and ethical perspective. Parasitology. 2018 Apr;145(5):688-696. doi: 10.1017/S0031182017001986. Epub 2017 Nov 29. PMID: 29183413.
  • Wei, Qiang & Luong, Jasper & Cheong, Io Hong & Kozlakidis, Zisis. (2025). The intersectoral challenges facing biobanking in One Health and Global Health. Frontiers in Tropical Diseases. 6. 10.3389/fitd.2025.1653226.
  • Capps B, Lederman Z. One Health and paradigms of public biobanking. J Med Ethics. 2015 Mar;41(3):258-62. doi: 10.1136/medethics-2013-101828. Epub 2014 Feb 25. PMID: 24570395.
  • Bullón Caro C. Legal elements to operationalise One Health: from principles to practice. Research Directions: One Health. 2025;3:e4. doi:10.1017/one.2025.2

ELSI, one health
Updated on 20 August, 2026