As the medical community continues to research and study the many facets of disease, it is precipitates significant advancements in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment options. The biorepository, which collects and stores large supplies of biological samples, plays a major role in studies. You may have heard both “biobank” and “biorepository” used interchangeably. According to the National Cancer Institute, a biorepository stores biospecimens. Let’s explore how the two terms have been defined traditionally and consider commonalities and differences.

What is a Biorepository?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines a biorepository as a “library.” It’s a location where biospecimens are stored and available for research or clinical purposes. What is a biospecimen? It is a biological material, including tissue, plasma, urine, or blood. Samples are often accompanied by demographic and medical information. Biorepositories may include specimens taken from a variety of sources, including plants, animals, and humans. The idea is to collect, process, store, and distribute samples so that they can support current use as well as contribute to future scientific investigation.

Four Primary Operations of a Biorepository

A biorepository has four main functions pertaining to samples: collecting, processing, storing, and distributing.

· Sample Collection – Biological specimens are obtained and then recorded. Recording samples usually involves scanning each sample’s unique barcode, so its information is recorded in the biorepository’s information management system. This information typically includes the sample origin, type, and date it was collected.

· Sample Processing – The processing phase involves testing and preparing samples for storage. One example is fixating tissue samples to maintain the tissue morphology so it can be sectioned and stained later.

· Sample Storage – Once biospecimens have been collected and processed, they are stored in the proper conditions to ensure their longevity. Storage conditions are logged into the biorepository’s information management system and include information such as storage date and location.

· Sample Distribution – The final step in the lifecycle of a biospecimen is distribution. The biorepository fulfills orders or requests from a research team. The sample is retrieved from inventory and sent to the requesting party.

Biorepositories are established based on the type or types of specimens they store and how long samples will be stored. Current biorepositories supply samples used to better understand diseases and to develop prophylactic and therapeutic strategies. Even though the scope and nature of biorepositories vary, they must comply with a set of standardized laboratory guidelines to ensure their specimens’ quality and preservation. Most repositories are reviewed by committees or boards that have an established vetting process used to fulfill sample requests. These entities also oversee a wide range of issues, such as protecting patient information and ethical matters.

What is a Biobank?

Biobanks are types of biorepositories. They contain biological samples that are used for human research. The definition of a biobank is a collection of biological material that is stored in an organized system along with its data and information. Biobanks are categorized by various approaches like disease state, setting, and population. They also vary greatly based on the nature of the specimens they handle, contents, scale, and participants. A biobank may also be classified in several ways based on any of these factors. However, in general, biobanks have two distinguishing classifications:

· Disease-Oriented: Biobanks containing clinical data and tissue samples.

· Population-Based: Biobanks focus on the study and development of common and complex diseases.

Biobanks today are a critical resource for scientists. As next-generation sequencing technology continues to emerge and being able to better study pathogen and human genomics for more personalized medicine, biobanks are even more crucial. The specimens and their information stored in biobanks help support the study of cancers, human pathogen interaction, rare diseases, and genetic biomarkers that can all help improve patient outcomes.

Recent Perspectives on the Difference Between a Biorepository and a Biobank

The lines of definition between biobanks and biorepositories have become blurred recently. Originally, the term “biobank” referred to the collection of human biological materials, while the term “biorepository” referred to collections of specimens collected from all living organisms. Since most use the terms interchangeably, it is more difficult to distinguish the two. However, a biobank is focused on communities, whereas a biorepository is focused on a global and future view.

References

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2006-04-28/pdf/06-3997.pdf

https://biospecimens.cancer.gov/patientcorner/

https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.isber.org/resource/resmgr/Files/ISBER_Best_Practices_3rd_Edi.pdf