UK Biobank: Enabling scientific discoveries that improve human health
The objective of UK Biobank is to create the large-scale biomedical database and research resource, containing in-depth genetic and health information from half a million UK participants, which will contributes to the advancement of modern medicine, treatment and scientific discoveries that improve human health.
Overview
- Acronym
- UK Biobank
- Website
- UK Biobank
- Investigators
-
- Contacts
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General Design
- Study design
- Cohort
- Start - End Year
- 2006 -
- General Information on Follow Up (profile, frequency)
-
After baseline recruitment, participants were reconnected for the repeated baseline measures in 2012. Further, participants were re-contacted periodically for enhancement data assessments.
- Recruitment Target
-
- Individuals
- Number of Participants
- 503,316
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- 486,019
Access
Availability of data and biosamples
| Possible Access to Data | |
| Possible Access to Biosamples | |
| Other |
|
UK Biobank support possible access to samples albeit for cohort-wide assays.
Marker Papers
Sudlow C, Gallacher J, Allen N, et al. UK biobank: an open access resource for identifying the causes of a wide range of complex diseases of middle and old age. PLoS Medicine, 2015;12(3).
PUBMED 25826379Supplementary Information
The database is regularly augmented with additional data and is globally accessible to approved researchers undertaking vital research into the most common and life-threatening diseases.
Additional resources:
• Elliott P, Peakman TC; UK Biobank. The UK Biobank sample handling and storage protocol for the collection, processing and archiving of human blood and urine. International Journal of Epidemiology, 2008;37(2):234-44.
• Conroy M, Sellors J, Effingham M, et al. The advantages of UK Biobank's open‐access strategy for health research. Journal of Internal Medicine, 2019; 286:389-97.
Timeline
Population
UK Biobank population
The population consisted of individuals from all around the UK between 40 and 69 at the time of recruitment who lived within the vicinity of the assessment centres.
Selection Criteria
- Minimum age
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40
- Maximum age
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69
- Countries
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- United Kingdom
- Territory
- Birmingham, Bristol, Bury, Cardiff, Cheadle, Croydon, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hounslow, Leeds, Liverpool, London Barts, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Reading, Sheffield, Stockport, Stoke, Swansea and Wrexham
Sources of Recruitment
- General Population
-
- Selected sample
- Supplementary Information
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Eligible participants (i.e. those aged 40-69 years and who lived within ~25 miles of an assessment centre) were identified through the National Health Service.
Sample Size
- Number of Participants
- 503,316
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- 486,019
- Supplementary Information about selection criteria
-
• Over 3,000 participants were included in the pilot phase.
• 500,000 participants were recruited in the baseline
• A repeat assessment of 20,000 participants was carried out in the first assessment.
• Approximately 320,000 participants provided the enhancement data on diet.
• Close to 100,000 participants provided the enhancement data on physical activity.
• 121,000 participants complete the occupational health questionnaire
• About 100,000 participants will provide the imaging data.
Data Collection Events
| # | Name | Data sources | Data sources - Biosamples | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | UK Biobank - Pilot phase |
|
|
2006 (March) | 2006 (June) |
| 1 | UK Biobank - Baseline assessment |
|
|
2007 (April) | 2010 (October) |
| 2 | UK Biobank - Diet enhancement data |
|
2011 (February) | 2012 (April) | |
| 3 | UK Biobank - Baseline assessment repetition |
|
|
2012 (August) | 2013 (June) |
| 4 | UK Biobank - Physical activity enhancement data |
|
2013 (June) | 2016 (January) | |
| 5 | UK Biobank - Linked health-related data |
|
2013 (March) | Ongoing | |
| 6 | UK Biobank - Cognitive function enhancement data |
|
2014 (November) | 2014 (December) | |
| 7 | UK Biobank - Occupational health enhancement data |
|
2015 (July) | 2015 (September) | |
| 8 | UK Biobank - Imaging |
|
|
2014 (August) | Ongoing |
| 9 | UK Biobank - Mental health enhancement data |
|
2016 (August) | 2016 (December) | |
| 10 | UK Biobank - Digestive health |
|
2017 | 2017 | |
| 11 | UK Biobank - Physical activity monitor repetition |
|
2018 | Ongoing | |
| 12 | UK Biobank - Pain |
|
2019 | 2019 | |
| 13 | UK Biobank - Food preferences |
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2019 (January) | 2019 (August) | |
| 14 | UK Biobank - Covid-19 |
|
|
2020 (June) | 2020 (December) |
| 15 | UK Biobank - First repeat imaging visit |
|
|
2019 (July) | Ongoing |
Participating Studies
| Acronym | Name | Study design | Countries |
|---|
Harmonization Initiatives Included
| Acronym | Name |
|---|
Datasets
| Name | Data Collection Events | Variables |
|---|
Areas of Information Collected
- Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
- Death
- Lifestyle and behaviours
- Physical measures and assessments
- Birth, pregnancy and reproductive health history
- Laboratory measures
- Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations
- Cognition, personality and psychological measures and assessments
- Diseases
- Life events, life plans, beliefs and values
- Symptoms and signs
- Preschool, school and work life
- Medication and supplements
- Social environment and relationships
- Non-pharmacological interventions
- Physical environment
- Health and community care services utilization
- Administrative information
Variables Content Summary
Areas of Information Collected
No Areas of Information Collected
No Scales Collected
Areas of Information Collected per per Population and Data Collection Event
No Areas of Information Collected
No Scales Collected
Networks
| Acronym | Name | Harmonization Initiatives | Individual Studies |
|---|
Last Update: 2022-08-11T10:41:41.167