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
Prof. Rory Collins
University of Oxford
Prof. Naomi Allen
University of Oxford
Contacts
Dr. Mark Effingham
UK Biobank
Dr. Megan Conroy
University of Oxford

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 25826379

Supplementary 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
40
Maximum age
69
Countries
  • 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
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 number of participants
• 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
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Blood
2006 (March) 2006 (June)
1 UK Biobank - Baseline assessment
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Blood
  • Urine
  • Saliva
2007 (April) 2010 (October)
2 UK Biobank - Diet enhancement data
  • Questionnaires
2011 (February) 2012 (April)
3 UK Biobank - Baseline assessment repetition
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Blood
  • Urine
  • Saliva
2012 (August) 2013 (June)
4 UK Biobank - Physical activity enhancement data
  • Physical measures
2013 (June) 2016 (January)
5 UK Biobank - Linked health-related data
  • Administrative databases
2013 (March) Ongoing
6 UK Biobank - Cognitive function enhancement data
  • Cognitive measures
2014 (November) 2014 (December)
7 UK Biobank - Occupational health enhancement data
  • Questionnaires
2015 (July) 2015 (September)
8 UK Biobank - Imaging
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Blood
2014 (August) Ongoing
9 UK Biobank - Mental health enhancement data
  • Questionnaires
2016 (August) 2016 (December)
10 UK Biobank - Digestive health
  • Questionnaires
2017 2017
11 UK Biobank - Physical activity monitor repetition
  • Physical measures
2018 Ongoing
12 UK Biobank - Pain
  • Questionnaires
2019 2019
13 UK Biobank - Food preferences
  • Questionnaires
2019 (January) 2019 (August)
14 UK Biobank - Covid-19
  • Questionnaires
  • Biosamples
  • Other : Medical records
  • Blood
2020 (June) 2020 (December)
15 UK Biobank - First repeat imaging visit
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Blood
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