Access ISBER Best Practice Education Online and Keep Your Practices Current

With the rapid expansion of biobanking and biospecimen research supporting increased use of biospecimens that drive precision medicine, International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) Best Practices are key to ensuring processes and practice are put into place to deliver high-quality research results. Education of these Best Practices for staff and trainees is critical. ISBER and the Canadian Tissue Repository Network (CTRNet) have partnered to cohost a comprehensive online education, so biobankers and researchers can learn these Best Practices and apply them immediately. This course is entitled the “Essentials of Biobanking.”

Formerly known as “Introduction to Biobanking,” the “Essentials of Biobanking” is available to ISBER members and nonmembers alike and has been updated to incorporate ISBER Best Practices 4.0. Recent updates have also incorporated references to the new ISO 20387:2018 standard, so this online course is highly beneficial for those undergoing ISO or CTRNet Certification or CAP Biobank Accreditation. Furthermore, new content has been added to the course to include content on business planning and business continuity and legacy planning for biobanking.

The content of the “Essentials of Biobanking” online course has been reviewed by international biobank experts so its applicability is global in scope. Although focused on human biobanking, this education module is applicable to those in the nonhuman biobanking sector as well.

The “Essentials of Biobanking” education course is composed of nine online modules (see Fig. 1).

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FIG. 1.

Title and focus of each education module. Module 1—Overview of Research Biobanking. This module provides an introductory overview of biobanking including key issues in establishing, maintaining, and accessing a biobank. Module 2—Governance and Planning. The overall objective of this module is to introduce you to the concept of biobank governance and its importance to the everyday operations of a biobank. Furthermore, this module will give you an overview of key topics in biobank planning including the need for business and continuity planning and important concepts in legacy planning for biobanks. Module 3—Ethics, Privacy, and Security. This module discusses the importance of ensuring that biospecimens and personal health-related information are used ethically and optimally for research purposes. Module 4—Facility Design and Safety. This module provides you with information on the fundamental physical components of a biobank facility. It also covers the importance of biobank facility design and security in maintaining a safe environment. Module 5—Quality Management and Process Improvement. This module provides general information on the importance of quality management and process improvement for biobanks. Module 6—Informed Consent. The purpose of this module is to identify and describe processes related to informed consent in the biobank setting. Module 7—Biospecimen Collection and Processing. This module provides an overview of the types of biospecimens commonly collected and stored in a biobank and the procedures involved in biospecimen collection and processing. Module 8—Biospecimen Storage and Distribution. This module provides an overview of proper biospecimen storage, retrieval, and sample distribution procedures for a biobank. Module 9—Data Systems and Records Management. This module provides an overview of the types of data systems and records management systems used for storing biospecimen data.

The introductory-level module “Overview of Research Biobanking” provides an outline of the key issues in establishing, maintaining, and accessing a biobank and is designed to cover the key elements of a set of standards based on ISBER's Best Practices in a framework that also conveys why standards are important.

The entire course of nine modules is designed to be applicable to those handling research biospecimens such as biobank technicians, consent coordinators, project managers, and other related staff. This course is offered in English and in French. Furthermore, content has been adapted with ancillary material to be applicable to different country-specific issues (in the areas of ethics, laws, regulations, etc.), including those in the United States, Australia, and Germany.

The ISBER–CTRNet partnership allows ISBER members and nonmembers to access this education through the ISBER website. The partnership also allows ISBER to meet its objective to offer Best Practice-based education to its members without incurring the substantial costs of developing education, an enrollment scheme, and the associated IT infrastructure. ISBER has also structured the partnership to achieve its objective to extend its global impact by offering biobank education to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by completing an agreement with the World Health Organization International Agency on Research on Cancer (IARC) to allow free access to this online course.

The “Essentials of Biobanking” can be accessed on the ISBER website ^* and through the CTRNet Biobank Resource Center. ^† Learners can undertake the material at any time at their own pace.

There is a discounted cost of 195 U.S.D for ISBER members, and nonmembers can purchase access for 395 U.S.D. Individuals from LMICs can purchase the education at a discounted rate of 49 U.S.D and those who are also members of IARC Biobank and Cohort Building Network can access the education for free.

More than 1000 learners in over 30 countries have taken the “Essentials of Biobanking.” It has never been easier to keep your biobank practices current and in their best form.