Introduction
The Biobank Unit was formed in 2019 to facilitate and support impactful as well as quality biomedical research within the Ministry of Healthy (MOH) by managing the MOH Biobank. A fully functional MOH Biobank is part of the National Strategic Plan for Cancer Control Program (NSPCCP) 2016 – 2025.
A major focus of the Unit is to manage the day-to-day affairs of the MOH Biobank. The MOH Biobank is involved with the collection of various types of tissue (such as blood, fresh tissue, saliva, formalin-fixed tissue etc.) and associated anonymised data from donors who have given their informed consent for their tissue & anonymised data to be used for ethically approved future research.
Objectives
- To facilitate biomedical research by providing high-quality biospecimens and associated anonymised data
- To initiate prospective collection project focusing on cancers of national interest
- To establish a biobanking network between government hospitals and MOH biobank for collection of specimens and associated data
- To be recognised as a leader in providing the highest quality human biological materials & associated anonymised data for researchers.
- To provide consultative services to the Ministry of Health personnel and other agencies in the field of biobanking and biospecimen processing & storage.
- To collaborate in various health-related research activities
Activities
- Organise & manage sample & data collection from donors who have consented to biobanking:
o Liaise with clinicians, researchers & administrators
o Work-flow for consent; sample acquisition and logistics
o Manage and coordinate sample / data requests from researchers
- Annotation & Processing of samples
- Secure storage of samples and data
- Consultancy and research planning services
