Biobank ÚHKT Prague
The ÚHKT Prague Biobank is a research infrastructure that preserves rare samples from patients with blood-forming disorders and samples from healthy individuals. It also accepts samples historically stored in freezers of individual ÚHKT departments and samples collected for specific research projects. Samples are processed at the Central Sample Reception and Processing workplace for biobanking according to the defined material type for the given diagnosis.
The Biobank itself is located in the underground spaces of pavilion D. At the beginning of 2023, two Askion C-line® robotic systems were put into operation here, in which samples are stored in pairs of liquid nitrogen. Currently, the transfer of historical samples intended for biobanking, originally stored in liquid nitrogen, to a smaller Askion C-line HS200-M system is underway. At the same time, the robot is being filled with prospective samples coming from the outpatient clinics of our hospitals. After half a year of filling, the smaller robot contains almost 2000 samples intended for biobanking, of which 1363 frozen leukocytes, 165 plasma samples, and 290 DNA samples. The Biobank also has an ASKION C-line® Work bench freezer, which allows safe handling of samples and programmed freezing.
During 2023, in cooperation with the ÚHKT IT department and Steiner, s.r.o., the database of biobanked samples was optimized – a new module within the existing UNIS system. This database links information about stored samples with the patient's clinical and laboratory data.
As of 1.1. 2023, ÚHKT Prague Biobank is a member of the BBMRI.cz biobank network (https://www.bbmri.cz/cs). This is the Czech national node of the European BBMRI-ERIC biobank network and a major research infrastructure supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MŠMT). The involvement of ÚHKT Prague Biobank in BBMRI.cz network projects is enabled by its state-of-the-art equipment, including necessary automation. ÚHKT Prague Biobank plans to offer its samples through the BBMRI Directory catalog. This is the largest biobank catalog, which currently offers a selection from 1418 collections from 412 organizations.
In 2024, a new laboratory for Central Sample Reception and Processing for Biobanking will be completed as part of the reconstruction of building B. This laboratory will be equipped with an automated "liquid handling system", which will increase the quality and uniformity of sample processing and minimize errors caused by human factors.
Accreditation of Central Sample Reception and Processing for biobanking and the biobank according to ISO 20387 standard is planned for the end of 2023.
The vision of ÚHKT Prague Biobank is to automate laboratory processes processing primary patient samples intended for long-term storage and to digitally integrate clinical and laboratory data with individual samples. Thanks to efficient IT tools, it will be possible to search samples efficiently according to parameters relevant to research projects.