title: Unexpected tissue and the biobank that closed: an exploration of value and the momentariness of bio-objectification processes.
abstract: Unanticipated situations can arise in biobanking. This paper empirically documents unexpected situations at the anonymous biobank 'Xbank'. Firstly, Xbank received an unexpected and significant quantity of tissue from the historical archive of a hospital network. Secondly, Xbank had its funding withdrawn before the designated end date for the grant, meaning the bank needed to either re-house or destroy its holdings. This paper articulates and uses the theoretical frameworks of bio-objectification and tissue economies to analyse the experiences of Xbank and draw out further implications of the potential precariousness of biobanking practice. The case study allows an inspection of how the value of tissue is configured and reconfigured as institutional contexts shift. We introduce the notion of momentariness as a way of grappling with the related temporariness and perpetualness of biobanking practice in both a theoretical and practical policy context.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Sciences, Media and Communications, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK. Neil.Stephens@Brunel.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.affiliation: School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, 12 Museum Place, Cardiff, CF10 3BG, UK.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dimond
mesh_terms: D018070:Biological Specimen Banks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D035843:Biomedical Research; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006271:Health Facility Closure / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D014015:Tissue Banks
keywords: Bio-objectification; Bio-objects; Biobanking; Closure; Momentariness; Value; Waste