title: A practical approach to clinical and research biobanking.
abstract: Powerful technologies critical to personalized medicine and targeted therapeutics require the analysis of carefully validated, procured, stored, and managed biospecimens. Reflecting advancements in biospecimen science, the National Cancer Institute and the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories are periodically publishing best practices that can guide the biobanker. The modern biobank will operate more like a clinical laboratory with formal accreditation, standard operating procedures, and quality assurance protocols. This chapter highlights practical issues of consent, procurement, storage, quality assurance, disbursement, funding, and space. Common topics of concern are discussed including the differences between clinical and research biospecimens, stabilization of biospecimens during procurement, optimal storage temperatures, and technical validation of biospecimen content and quality. With quickly expanding biospecimen needs and limited healthcare budgets, biobanks may need to be selective as to what is stored. Furthermore, a shift to room-temperature storage modalities where possible can reduce long-term space and fiscal requirements.
authors.affiliation: Translational Pathology Core Laboratory, Brain Tumor Translational Resource, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Center for Health Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 10833 Le Conte Ave, 18-161 CHS, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA, WYong@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Dry
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shabihkhani
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation; D000818:Animals; D018070:Biological Specimen Banks; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011786:Quality Control; D012106:Research; D013048:Specimen Handling