title: PSI: The Dutch Academic Infrastructure for shared biobanks for translational research.
abstract: Translational research requires large patient populations. A single research institute is not able to build up such a population in a short period of time. The String of Pearls Initiative (in Dutch "Parelsnoer Initiatief", PSI) is a joint effort by the eight academic medical centers in the Netherlands to built an infrastructure for joint biobanking as to meet this challenge of establishing large collections of data and samples in relevant medical domains.
authors.affiliation: School for Public Health and Primary Care - CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands;
authors.forename: Jan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Talmon
authors.forename: Maurits G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ros'
authors.forename: Dink A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Legemate