Biobanking

Abstract

Biobanks, more formally known as biological resource centers (BRCs), form an ''unsung'' yet critical component of the infrastructures for scientific research, industry and conservation, without which much of the current scientific activity involving microbial cultures and celllines would be effectively impossible. BRCs are de facto depositories of ''biological standards'' holding taxonomic and other reference strains on which much of the associated published science and industrial standards are built and upon which some significant international commercial and ethical issues rely. The establishment and maintenance of BRCs is a knowledge-and skill-rich activity that in particular requires careful attention to the implementation of reliable preservation technologies and appropriate quality assurance to ensure that recovered cultures and other biological materials perform in the same way as the originally isolated culture or material. There are many types of BRC, which vary both in the kinds of material they hold and in their functional role. All BRCs are expected to provide materials and information of an appropriate quality for their intended use and work to standards relevant to those applications. There are important industrial, biomedical, and conservation issues that can only be addressed through effective and efficient operation of BRCs in the long term. This requires a high degree of expertise in the maintenance and management of collections of biological materials at ultra-low temperatures, or as freeze-dried material, to secure their long-term integrity and relevance for future research, development, and conservation.

Analysis of Pluripotent Cell in Post-circumcised Preputial Skin using Cold Transport Methods (Ice and Dry Ice) with Oct-4 Expression

“…This finding is supported by a paper by Day and Stacey; majority of the tissues were impaired when their temperature is negative or less than 0°C because intracellular ice may manifests and ruins the tissue. Furthermore, faster frozen time can also contribute to the manifestation of intracellular ice [21]. In samples transported with dry ice, their temperature was lower than 0°C thus the formation of this intracellular ice can happen and lessened the intactness of the whole tissue, including the hypodermis.…”

Applications and optimization of cryopreservation technologies to cellular therapeutics

“…Since nitrogen vapour can deplete room oxygen levels, air oxygen monitors are required where the liquid nitrogen is located and handled as part of general risk assessments and safety measures, which also include personal safety equipment to avoid 'cold injury' from accidental contact with the cryogen [87].…”

Culture Collections in the Study of Microbial Diversity, Importance

“…This can be achieved by establishment of a two-tiered system composed of a master and working (distribution) bank for each organism (Day and Stacey 2008).…”