The Baby Bio Bank

Unlocking the genetics of healthy pregnancy

The Baby Bio Bank (BBB) is a one-of-a-kind research resource created by University College London and Imperial College London, with funding from Wellbeing of Women. Its goal is to drive scientific breakthroughs in the four leading pregnancy complications — affecting 1 in 5 families trying to conceive:

• Recurrent miscarriage
• Preterm birth
• Fetal growth restriction
• Pre-eclampsia

We are one of the only biobanks globally to collect samples from all three members of the family — mother, father, and baby — enabling researchers to study both inherited and environmental factors.

A globally unique collection

Over 54,000 biological samples were collected from 2,515 pregnancies between 8 weeks’ gestation and term, across three major London hospitals:

• Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
• Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital
• St Mary’s Hospital

These include blood, DNA, RNA, and tissue samples from mothers, fathers, and babies, along with richly annotated clinical data.

What’s included in the Biobank

Samples

• Maternal samples (blood, urine, DNA/RNA), collected once during pregnancy
• Paternal samples (blood, DNA)
• Fetal and placental samples (cord blood, umbilical cord tissue, placental biopsies)
   

Pregnancy complications

As well as pregnancy and maternal complications:

• 204 were affected with fetal growth restriction (FGR)
• 298 with recurrent miscarriage
• 373 delivered before 37 weeks of gestation (Preterm)
• 140 complicated with pre-eclampsia
• 106 pregnancies complicated by maternal diabetes

The biobank also contains samples from 958 healthy, uncomplicated pregnancies.

Clinical data

Samples have been collected during pregnancy (from 8 weeks onward) and processed to the highest standards, with validated quality control using:

• PCR
• Sequencing
• Agilent 2200 TapeStation
• Nucleic acid integrity assessments

Our samples are proven suitable for:

• Whole-exome sequencing
• Genome-wide methylation analysis
• qPCR, endpoint PCR, Sanger sequencing, and more
   

Access for researchers

The Baby Bio Bank (BBB) is open to qualified researchers from both academic and commercial institutions in the UK and internationally.

All applications are reviewed by the BBB Research Management Board. Approved projects must:

• Have local R&D approval
• Provide evidence of peer-reviewed funding
• Sign a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA)

Researchers are expected to return generated data to the biobank, enhancing this shared resource.

To date, BBB samples have supported over 20 research projects worldwide.

How to apply

• Download the BBB Application Form
• Email the BBB Manager: nita.solanky@ucl.ac.uk
• View Ethics Approval
• View Biobank Protocol

Impact

To date, 23 studies have been approved to use samples from the Baby Biobank. Publications from these and future studies will be posted here.

“In our research using samples from the UK Baby Biobank, we discovered a method to analyze tiny fragments of DNA from the placenta that circulate in a pregnant person’s blood, known as cell-free placental DNA. By using a special technique called cfMeDIP-seq, we were able to focus on these DNA fragments and learn more about the health of the placenta without needing to perform invasive procedures.

We also found that this DNA from pregnancies affected by a condition called Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) had different patterns of DNA methylation—a natural process where chemical tags are added to DNA, which can influence how genes are turned on or off. By identifying these specific patterns, we could potentially spot pregnancies at risk of IUGR before any symptoms appear.

This work and these samples were integral in me obtaining my own independent faculty position as Assistant professor at McMaster University in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.”

Samantha L Wilson, PhD, Assistant Professor , McMaster University

Review article

• The Baby Bio Bank-A Legacy for Researchers Worldwide into Common Complications of Pregnancy

Journal articles

• Analysis of CDKN1C in fetal growth restriction and pregnancy Loss https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.15016.1
• Investigation of the Annexin A5 M2 haplotype in 500 white European couples who have experienced recurrent spontaneous abortion: Reproductive BioMedicine Online (2015) 31, 681–688
• Gestational disruptions in metabolic rhythmicity of the liver, muscle, and placenta affect fetal size, The FASEB Journal Vol.31, No.4 , pp:1698-1708, January, 2018
• Emerging phenotypes linked to variants in SAMD9 and MIRAGE syndrome. DOI 10.3389/fendo.2022.953707