How many different biobank storage systems exist? What are the advantages and disadvantages of automated storage systems? These and other questions were discussed during the first on-site training for technical biobank personnel of the German Biobank Alliance (GBA) on 24 January 2018, in Göttingen. In total, 16 biobank employees from nine different biobank locations participated. For the first time the participants had the opportunity to exchange knowledge and discuss tips and advices regarding routine work in a biobank.
The training course is part of a large-scale initiative for technical biobank personnel: The aim is to support technical staff in the correct implementation of specified procedures for handling biomaterials. The German Biobank Node (GBN) aims to standardise processes across different biobank locations, thereby ensuring a consistently high sample quality within the GBA biobanks – the education programme for technical personnel is intended to effectively support this harmonisation process.
The main topic of the first training – the various storage systems in biobanks – was presented by Dr Norman Klopp, Laboratory Manager at the Biobank Hanover (HUB): “One of the advantages of an automated storage system at -80 °C lies in the secure extraction of biosamples. Individual samples can be extracted without risking to warm up ‘innocent’ adjacent samples, as in the case of manual extraction from a -80 °C freezer. This increases the sample quality and process reliability vitally. Nevertheless, automated storage systems usually require long test phases for commissioning as well as high expenses for their purchase and operation."
A guided tour through the Central Laboratory of the University Medical Centre Göttingen (UMG) as well as the UMG Biobank provided an opportunity to learn about workflows of another biobank. The participants discussed other topics on which they would like to receive further theoretical and practical training; for instance, they would like to know more about the different quality biomarkers and are interested in further trainings on the preparation of cryosections.
The practical on-site trainings will be complemented by an online education platform, which will provide information on theoretical background considering the correct reception, processing and storage of biosamples.
Both further training measures are based on the results of a survey conducted among biobank employees throughout Germany. The survey results allowed to determine the educational needs of the technical employees: Less than 40 % of the staff surveyed have so far participated in further trainings. However, those who had attended external trainings stated that these were not specifically oriented to their own work routine.
Therefore, GBN will support technical employees in their daily work routine by offering training courses on a regular basis and by publishing the online education platform. Through both measures, GBN will make an important contribution to the standardisation of sample quality.
