Biobank services

The development and availability of fit for purpose diagnostic testing is key to achieving health for all. This cannot be done without access to well-characterized, high-quality biological samples that have been collected, processed, and stored in the right place, at the right time, and in the right way.

FIND biobank services do just that. Available to academic, non-profit, independent, and commercial users, we are working to streamline the development of diagnostic tools by improving the quality, visibility, and availability of sample collections. More than just a supplier, we offer the guidance and expertise needed to develop, validate, and assess new and existing solutions – all whilst working to decentralize traditional systems and build biobanking capacity when and where it is needed most.

Ethics

Samples hosted by FIND or through our network of integrated biobanks are made available for the purpose of product development or test development. Collection takes place at qualified clinics, with partner centres following good clinical practice (GCP) guidelines and protocols approved by local ethical review boards. All donors are required to give informed consent for their specimens to be stored and used.

To contribute to more equitable access to specimens, FIND has been building a biobank with fit-for-purpose collections of specimens, mainly from LMICs (FIND Specimen Bank). Also, in response to the lack of biobanks in LMICs, FIND has also deployed a strategy aimed at building local capacity and investing in on-site, in-country infrastructure to deliver a long-term, sustainable, and adequate biobanking service (FIND Integrated Biobanks).