Introducing ADBEx

The African Data and Biospecimen Exchange, ADBEx, is a data- and biospecimen-sharing platform that supports researchers in sharing data and biospecimens from Africa in ways that are more equitable and ethical.

ADBEx is a platform where African researchers can:

• List data and biospecimen collections by providing basic descriptive metadata, including resources of human, microbial, plant, or animal origin. No data or samples are uploaded to the platform.
• Connect with others interested in accessing or collaborating on those resources using the platform’s messaging function.
• Negotiate terms of use, including benefit sharing and potential for collaboration.
• Build a resource-sharing agreement using the platform’s data- and biospecimen-sharing agreement builder, which guides users through the necessary clauses to create a fair and transparent Memorandum of Understanding.

ADBEx is not a repository – the platform does not store data or samples. It is also not a replacement for existing platforms – it complements, rather than replaces, existing databases or biobanks.

Historically, a standard requirement, for example by funders and peer-reviewed scientific journals, has been for African researchers to send their samples and data to centralised repositories, often off-Continent, where they lose oversight of how those resources are used.

This platform takes a different approach: it offers African scientists a space to retain control, negotiate fair terms, and ensure that research collaborations reflect local priorities and deliver local benefits. We also encourage more diverse ways of sharing data and biospecimens, such as federated and collaborative sharing, and using data in a Trusted Research Environment. This means that resources that cannot be openly shared for ethical or governance reasons may also be listed for these types of collaborative onward use.

The goal is to support fair research partnerships whilst improving availability of data and biospecimens from Africa: increasing visibility of African resources without ceding oversight, building capacity within Africa, and helping African researchers participate equitably in the science that their data and biospecimens make possible.

The African Data and Biospecimen Exchange is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through a Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellowship, awarded to Nicki Tiffin.The Fellowship supports African innovators building a stronger, more equitable global health R&D ecosystem.