The UK DNA banking network: a "fair access" biobank.
The UK DNA Banking Network (UDBN) is a secondary biobank: it aggregates and manages resources (samples and data) originated by others. The network comprises, on the one hand, investigator groups led by clinicians each with a distinct disease specialism and, on the other hand, a research infrastructure to manage samples and data. The infrastructure addresses the problem of providing secure quality-assured accrual, storage, replenishment and distribution capacities for samples and of facilitating access to DNA aliquots and data for new peer-reviewed studies in genetic epidemiology. 'Fair access' principles and practices have been pragmatically developed that, unlike open access policies in this area, are not cumbersome but, rather, are fit for the purpose of expediting new study designs and their implementation. UDBN has so far distributed >60,000 samples for major genotyping studies yielding >10 billion genotypes. It provides a working model that can inform progress in biobanking nationally, across Europe and internationally.
Yuille
Martin
M
Centre for Integrated Genomic Medical Research, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK. martin.yuille@manchester.ac.uk
Dixon
Katherine
K
Platt
Andrew
A
Pullum
Simon
S
Lewis
David
D
Hall
Alistair
A
Ollier
William
W
D018070:Biological Specimen Banks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D003628:Database Management Systems / Q000458:organization & administration; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D011050:Policy Making; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D011786:Quality Control; D006113:United Kingdom
D004247:DNA