Pathology and Biobanking

Abstract

Biobanks are units where high quality and long-term protection of biomaterials is maintained. This system, in which biological materials anddata are systematically recorded and stored, is a unique resource for the study of the pathophysiology of disease, the development of diagnosticbiomarkers, and working with human tissues for the potential discovery of targeted therapeutic agents. At this point, the pathology unit playsa unifying and complementary role between the clinical and core disciplines and offers optimal management of the patients’ biomaterials fordiagnostic and research projects. The aim of this article is to present general information with regard to a biobank constructed for the storageof tumor tissue and blood biospecimens.Ethical issues (informed consent, protection of confidentiality and privacy, and secondary use of biospecimens) and the information technologysystem (collection, systematic recording, backup and protection of clinical information) are important issues in biobanking. The selection offreezers to be used in storage (mechanical freezers, liquid-vapor nitrogen tanks), and if mechanical freezers are preferred the establishment ofthe relevant infrastructure and support team (such as additional power units for protection from power outages), the preservation of materials byaliquoting in different freezers, ensuring financing so as to afford the cost of the infrastructure, and implementation of all these dynamics whileadhering to international guidelines are of the utmost importance.