Page 48 - MEMOCiberobn014-ENG

PLATFORMS
Having a large number of biological samples such as tissues, serum, plasma, DNA, proteins, etc ., is extremely important today for the advancement and development of biomedical research . Storing such a large amount of samples from different origins and the increasingly closer collaboration between laboratories mean that samples must be sent often, and this requires strict control .
Given the deficiencies in our area of a biobank specialising in collecting adipose tissue, associated samples and their clinical data for the study of highly prevalent diseases that are constantly increasing in our population, such as obesity and obesity-associated diseases, it was necessary to provide a biobank to continue carrying out daily activity in a rigorous manner and to have samples that assure reliable quality results . In this context, the CIBEROBN strategically supports providing a specific Biobank for adipose tissue samples, called FatBank . The FatBank shares the general philosophy of Biobanks, which are non-profit public or private establishments
that house a collection of biological samples conceived for diagnostic or biomedical research purposes and organised as a technical unit with quality criteria, order and intended to serve society in general and the scientific community in particular . Along the same line, the CIBEROBN FatBank is supported on 5 basic pillars:
• Providing rigorous Informed Consents for Biomedical Research and in compliance with the Personal Data Protection Law as well as other laws regulating Biobanks .
• Standardising procedures and protocols, assuring quality in obtaining, processing, preserving and storing samples .
• Assuring traceability of samples, acquiring the necessary infrastructure to that end and using unique coding methods .
• Providing effective biobank and sample management systems, using computer applications created for such purpose .
• Having specialised staff dedicated to the biobank and familiar with it .
The primary goal of the FatBank is to provide the scientific community with trustworthy quality samples obtained by means of specific protocols to minimise the intermodal variability of visceral adipose tissue, subcutaneous adipose tissue and circulating adipose tissue derivatives from the same donor, all complemented with broad clinical phenotyping including a dietary and physical activity questionnaire and complementary analytical study .
The CIBEROBN FatBank was accredited by FIS in 2012 as a Biobank within the Biobank of the Hospital de Girona, being part of the National Network of Biobanks . There were initially 6 sample collection and analysis nodes, 5 of which are still active today in the following centres: Cordoba, Malaga, Pamplona, Santiago and Girona as the coordinating centre .
48 CIBEROBN » Annual report 2014