Alessandria Biobank: origins, evolution and future scenarios
https://doi.org/10.4081/wpph.2022.9522
Accepted: 19 July 2022
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A biobank, in general terms, is described as a facility aimed at the collection, management, preservation and distribution of biomaterials and related data for genetic research purposes.
The term biobank thus refers to a range of activities carried out by biobanks that differ in nature, objectives, business models, outcomes, and social, political, and scientific impact.
Given the interaction between the biomaterial and associated data, biobanks represent a bridge between the evolution of personalized medicine and the preservation and improvement of public health, in light of the role they play in allowing precisely the preservation of a significant amount of both biomaterial and related data, necessary for the advancement of biomedical research.
At the Research Training and Innovation Infrastructure of the Azienda Ospedaliera SS. Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo is located at the Centre for Biological Collection (CRMB), which includes the collection of malignant mesothelioma (BB-MM), established in 2005, the collection of breast carcinoma, established in 2021, and the Biorepository established in 2016 to ensure high levels of quality and safety in the field of storage and preservation of biological samples required by protocols of clinical trials and/or intended for research activities.
It is configured as a service and non-profit unit aimed at collecting, storing and distributing biological samples for scientific research purposes while strictly guaranteeing the rights of the subjects involved.
This study aims, in line with the evidence provided by the scientific literature in the field of biobanking and biomedical research, to describe the history of biobanking and, in parallel, the evolution of Alessandria Biobank, between institutionalization and results achieved, to increase the knowledge of the biobank and its work.
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