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FORINFRA-Nasj.sats. forskn.infrastrukt

Biobank Norway 2- a national research infrastructure for clinical and population based biobanks

Alternative title: Biobank Norway 2

Awarded: NOK 85.7 mill.

Biobank Norway (BN) was established in 2010 as an infrastructure for optimal use of biobank resources with equal partners from NTNU (coordinator), the Universities of Oslo, Bergen and Tromsø), NIPH, all four regional health authorities and the Cancer Registry and biobank (Janus serum bank). BN represent Norway in the management committee of BBMRI-ERIC, the legal European biobank research infrastructure. Both clinical and population based research biobanks have markedly grown and flourished within this infrastructure. In BN2, we have taken major steps forward prioritizing the following areas: 1) New investments in automated freezers at the Janus Serum Bank (-20), and a new, automated biobank facility for The Western Health Authority (-80). 2) The two national biobank facilities, already upgraded with 45 mill NOK have been continuously strengthened through BN2 (WP 1 and WP 4-8)). 3) Partners within the Regional Health Authorities have systematically been building prospective clinical biobanks (WP2) for future research as well as developing models for Multicenter biobanking (WP3), a federated tissue biobank, starting with prostate cancer as a pilot project. 4) National solutions for Bioinformatics, Data handling and Biocomputing (WP 4) has been developed in collaboration with Elixir. 5) Improved communication with the donor community (WP 5) through a dynamic consent model is soon in place based on a solution developed through helsenorge.no. 6) Development of Biobank registries and inventories (WP 6) as well as providing easier access to register data in collaboration with Health Registries for Research (HRR). 7) A National communication platform for sequencing studies (WP 7) to establish a common pipeline for sequence analysis of biobank samples in collaboration with the National Sequencing Centre and Elixir. 8) A national model for innovation and industrial collaboration (WP 8), based on Norwegian biobanks, registries and the industry, and 9) Establishment of Common services for Biobanking (CS 1) and Ethical, legal and social issues (CS 2).

Since 2010, Biobank Norway, has been established as an efficient, unified infrastructure for optimal utilization of these resources and is presently a large consortium with equal partners including the four major universities, NIPH, all four regional health authorities and the Cancer registry and biobank. As observatory members of the ESFRI-initiated, BBMRI-ERIC, we also represent Norway in the management committee of this European legal biobank research infrastructure. Both clinical and population based research biobanks have markedly developed and flourished within our infrastructure with a strong link to associated technology platforms for utilizing the biological samples, including chip-array genotyping and sequencing studies. Our goal is to take the development and utilization of Biobank Norway major steps forward with this proposal combined with our strong national and international networks. By building on the long tradition of population studies and accompanying biobanks, Biobank Norway has increased the number of users exponentially, offering a wide range of well described, richly annotated biospecimen and corresponding health related data, which has contributed to several hundred research projects and scientific results presented in a large number of high-profiled publications. Other deliverables have new data base solutions, a custom designed LIMS and sample tracking system, a comprensive documentation of "Best biobank Practice", ISO-certification of both our National Biobanks and the appointment of HUNT biobank as the "European Research Biobank of the year 2013". In the present application we seek funding to consolidate these major achievements, but equally important to improve, expand and develop the infrastructure further. Biobank Norway 2 will focus on new investments, prospective clinical biobanks, tissue biobanking,improved donor communication, better tools for handling of big data and common services for biobanking and ethical issues.

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FORINFRA-Nasj.sats. forskn.infrastrukt

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