The BioMedIT Portal is the centralized access point to the tools and services of the BioMedIT network, provided through a secure, web-based environment.

It brings together project administration, access control, and data transfer workflows into a single interface, simplifying how researchers and data providers collaborate while maintaining the high security and compliance standards required for sensitive health-related data.

The BioMedIT Portal harmonizes project administration and access management across the BioMedIT network. It provides a unified interface through which project teams can manage their B-space and related workflows — independent of the BioMedIT node hosting the project — ensuring a consistent experience across all locations.

Project Leaders can onboard and offboard personnel and assign roles with predefined permissions according to project needs.

To ensure that all requirements are fulfilled before handling sensitive data, Project Leaders can monitor whether project members have completed mandatory prerequisites, such as accepting terms of use or completing required training. Role changes and membership updates are auditable, supporting accountability and compliance with legal and security policies.

The portal enables Data Managers to initiate secure data import requests to onboarded data providers and their project within a structured governance framework.

Import and export requests can be submitted and tracked directly through the portal, with full visibility of transfer status throughout the process.

Depending on the project context, dedicated approval groups can be integrated into the workflow. For example, legal or governance bodies may be required to review the legal basis for data use before an import request is authorized. These designated groups review and approve requests before data becomes available in the project’s B-space.

This structured process ensures traceability, accountability, and legal compliance.

Researchers access their project-specific B-space — the virtualized research environment where sensitive data can be securely stored, processed, and analyzed.

Each BioMedIT node provides a curated application stack tailored to biomedical research. In addition to standard data management solutions, researchers can run containers and containerized web applications, enabling flexibility while ensuring the highest security standards.

The BioMedIT Portal provides dedicated functionality for institutions and teams that supply sensitive health-related data to research projects.

Data providers are onboarded once to the BioMedIT network by establishing a secure technical connection (e.g. from a hospital to BioMedIT). Once connected, they can exchange data with authorized projects without the need to establish separate connections for each individual project. This simplifies collaboration while maintaining strict security controls.

Data provider organizations can manage access rights for their teams by assigning predefined roles with specific permissions.

This ensures that only authorized individuals can review, approve, or initiate data transfers, in accordance with internal governance policies and accountability requirements.

The portal enables data providers to receive data transfer requests from research projects and review them within a traceable workflow.

Requests can be assessed against applicable institutional, legal, and ethical requirements before authorization. Data is only shared once all required conditions are fulfilled, ensuring compliance and safeguarding patient privacy.

Data providers have full visibility over the status and history of all data transfers involving their datasets.

The portal provides transparency on ongoing and completed transfers, enabling institutions to review and audit all activities.

Whether you have a role in a data providing institution or contribute to projects hosted across different BioMedIT nodes, the BioMedIT Portal gives you a consolidated interface of your activities and responsibilities in one place.

User profile management
Users can manage their personal settings and register encryption keys required for secure data transfers. This ensures compliance with security requirements while keeping control in the hands of the individual user.

Access to SPHN tools
Through single sign-on, the BioMedIT Portal also offers a growing ecosystem of self-developed, commercial, and open-source tools that support data analysis, collaboration, and project coordination across institutions.

Documentation and guidance
The portal provides access to policies, user guides, technical references, and best-practice documentation. 

Since its launch, the BioMedIT Portal has become a central component of Switzerland’s secure infrastructure for health-related research.

To date, the platform has supported:

• More than 1,300 registered users
• Over 100 research projects (ongoing and completed)
• More than 40 onboarded data providers