Research facilities rely on biobanks to collect, process, store and distribute bio specimens as well as related information. The bio specimens and collected information is used by scientists to study not only many of the conditions that afflict the human race, but also other life forms for the preservation of species that are facing extinction around the world. Biobanks collect tissue, body fluid, tumor tissue, healthy tissue, serum, blood, plasma, urine or feces, which are then broken down into individual components and made available as samples for researchers.
A new market insight published by Frost & Sullivan titled, "The Biobanking Community to Increasingly Require Innovative Products in Bio-Storage Applications," looks at the market and some of the challenges it will face.
One of the key points the report highlights is the importance of long-term storage of samples to the growth of the biobanking industry. While the interest for diseased-based regional and national biobanks for clinical research has grown considerably, it has resulted in more strict standard operating procedures. The research community demands and expects sample integrity and viability from organizations supplying the samples and data. Organizations that are compliant with these new regulations will have a better chance in grabbing and keeping market shares.
Recent technology is allowing companies to store samples at room temperature. By developing reagents to sterilize the DNA and RNA to last longer under ambient temperature, it eliminates the need to invest in freezer units and additional storage space, reducing the operational costs of biobanks.
Traditional storage facilities froze samples in plates with multiple specimens, which required thawing anytime a sample was requested. The thawing and freezing affected the integrity of the sample, which could be costly for researchers. New freezing technology stores the samples in micro-tubes and individual vials. Other technologies used to preserve the integrity of the samples include robots that work within the frigid environment to store and retrieve the samples.
"Biobanks' interest in dry-state storing and eliminating freeze-thaw cycles has led to the introduction of many patented automated biobanking storage platforms for the samples requiring -20 degrees C and -80 degrees C. These platforms have the facility to store samples in both microplates and micro-tube format. They ensure the continuous monitoring of samples even during picking," said Frost & Sullivan Healthcare Senior Research Analyst Divyaa Ravishankar.
The challenge biobanks face is the continuous monitoring of clinical samples and associated sample information. This requires a highly integrated set up and as the number of samples and associated data increases exponentially, issues with storage capacity and duration remains a concern.
"However, many challenges still lie ahead for solution vendors. Given that no two biobanks function similarly, it is tough to generalize a technology platform. A lot of custom work is required to suit the workflow processes of a biobank. At the same time, obtaining funding and ensuring financial maintenance of the biobanking infrastructure will become tougher in the long run," said Ravishankar.
As the report points out standardization's have to start being implemented in order to ensure sample integrity.
Edited by
Alisen Downey
