In biology, biomedical and medical research, biobanks are like libraries stocking a wide range of biological specimen samples for use in research. Usually, these specimens are human samples from different sources like urine, saliva, blood, tissue, cells, genetic material etc.

In a biobank, each specimen is carefully stored and characterized according to its unique features and the presence or absence of contaminants. They are classified using specific information about its donor like blood type, genetic, ethnicity, age or gender. For some samples, these informations can include data on environmental factors such as exposure to radiation or some substances which can affect human genes.

The biobank keeps these specimens in optimal condition until a researcher needs to conduct an experiment, or perform an analysis on them. There are different types of biobanks:

virtual biobanks that integrate epidemiological cohorts,

tissue banks that harvest and store human tissues,

population banks that store biomaterial as well as associated characteristics.

Biobanks have also caused ethical questions about privacy and the respect of human rights. The Declaration of Helsinki states that all physicians must seek informed consent from the donor for collection, storage and reuse of his biological samples. Also, for the protection of privacy and individual rights, the samples stored in biobanks are delinked from their donor and identified with a unique code. In Europe, you can find information related to the sample on the tracking code used to send human cells and tissue.

Because of their wide variety and their precise categorization of the specimens, biobanks are crucial for research because they can provide the precise specimen needed to conduct specific experiments. Therefore, they are particularly useful for genomics.

Cell banks also enable to limit the use of animal models in pharmaceutical or medical research. Cell models are preferred for the in vitro studies such as cytotoxicity, primary drugs screening or genetic and tissue engineering.

It often takes time to find the biobank that can provide you with the right sample. Here you can find a selection of services which can be useful for you.