Biobanks are an essential resource for the study of diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. They serve as repositories for samples gathered from participants who volunteer to have biospecimens, personal health information, and medical records collected. These specimens are used in clinical research focusing on population health and personalized medicine.
A biobank receives the human specimens, processes and stores them, and is responsible for managing this precious inventory. The location of each biospecimen must be accurately tracked. In addition, the temperature must be monitored, often by the use of redundant systems. The goal is to reduce sample loss, whether by losing track of the specimen’s location or by exposure to adverse temperatures, to zero.
Clinical Laboratory News (CLN) published an article called “Biobanking for the 21st Century.” It states that “Biobanks have become integral to improving population health with the goal of making medicine more effective and personalized for each one of us.” For biobanks to ensure they can supply researchers with high quality specimens they must develop facilities with adequate storage space, the appropriate information technology, logistics management, and robust quality management systems.
To help meet the challenge of providing equipment that researchers and clinicians can depend on, Helmer Scientific offers the i.Series® line of Ultra-Low Freezers. Helmer Scientific Medical-Grade Ultra-Low Freezers are designed with the reliability and quality that is demanded for sensitive and precious samples. To see how these Ultra-Low Freezers are made to meet these demanding requirements, visit the interactive demonstration.
Learn more about biobanking by reading the full article from Clinical Laboratory News (CLN).
