UK Biobank

Overview

UK Biobank is a large-scale prospective biomedical database established in 2006, containing genetic, phenotypic, and health information from approximately 500,000 volunteer participants recruited across the UK, aged 40–69 at enrolment. It combines genome-wide genotyping, whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing, multi-omics data, linked NHS electronic health records, and ongoing imaging sub-studies covering brain MRI, cardiac MRI, and abdominal MRI. Access is open to approved researchers worldwide via a cost-recovery application process, and data are available through the Research Analysis Platform (RAP), a secure cloud analysis environment.

Imaging Sub-Study

The UK Biobank Imaging Enhancement is a longitudinal sub-study aiming to acquire multimodal imaging data from 100,000 participants. Brain MRI modalities include structural T1, T2 FLAIR, diffusion, resting-state fMRI, and susceptibility-weighted imaging. Brain imaging data are organised in BIDS format and processed through a standardised pipeline, producing one of the largest population neuroimaging datasets available to researchers.

Connections

• Data model: OMOP CDM
• Supported by: HDR UK

Resources

• https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk
• https://ukbiobank.dnanexus.com (Research Analysis Platform)
• https://biobank.ndph.ox.ac.uk/showcase/ (Data Showcase variable catalogue)