The biobank is a platform which works to obtain, store, manage and distribute large collections of human biological samples of phenotypes and diseases of marked interest for researchers. This makes work possible for many researchers, who may additionally request technical advice on human sample collection projects.

IDIBAPS pooled their samples into a single, complete catalogue through the biobank. These are available for any project which is scientifically and ethically approved by the External Committees, granting a fair access policy. Sample standardization and centralization led to a qualitative leap forward in biomedical research through the automatization and continuous monitorization of the processes involved.

Services and technologies:

HUMAN BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE PROVIDING

• Nerve tissue from cadaveric donors affected by neurologic diseases
• Frozen and paraffin-embedded tissues representing the most common neoplasias
• DNA, serum, plasma and PBMCs from different diseases as well as from control donors

TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC ADVICE

• Creation and management of new collections
• Methodology (technical guidance)
• Experimental design with human and animal tissue samples
• Design and interpretation of immunohistochemical studies
• Quality management programmes
• Harmonization of quality procedures for the handling of DNA samples
• Technical assessment for the manipulation of the Biobank equipment (laser microdissector, multiobserver microscope with software for morphometric analysis and a histological slide scanner with analysis software)

PRIVATE COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT

• Collection management of multicentre studies
• Storage of pre-existing collections

HISTOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES

• Processing of frozen and paraffin embedded tissues (macroscopy, cryopreservation, paraffin blocks, histological sections)
• Lasser microdissection
• Tissue microarrays construction (TMA)
• Histological staining
• Definitive neuropathological diagnosis of neurological diseases
• Slide scan and morphometric analysis

CELLULAR TECHNIQUES

• Purification and cryopreservation of mononuclear cells
• Immortalization of B lymphocytes
• Erythrocyte isolation from whole blood
• Cell counting

MOLECULAR TECHNIQUES

• DNA extraction from peripheral blood
• DNA/RNA/protein extraction from tissue (frozen and paraffin embedded)
• WGA
• Serum and plasma isolation
•  Immunohistochemistry