Biobank is the place where they are collected and stored biological materials (serum, body fluids, frozen cells, DNA and mRNA samples) from donors. It has a place to store up to 170,000 samples in freezers low temperature (-800C) and up to 9,500 samples stored in liquid nitrogen (-1960C) or liquid nitrogen vapors. Biobank HARC is monitored 24/7.

The main idea of ​​Biobank is to collect the largest possible pool of material  biological, which in the future will be able to be used by  all academic staff of the Medical University conducted  by them (e.g. civilization diseases, aging, diseases allergic, autoimmune and other grounds). The greater the amount the biological material accumulated in Biobank, the better the quality conducted scientific research. For storage of donor information and the registration of each incoming and outgoing sample used is a special BIMS computer system. Biobank is available to all HARC partners, and in the future will be available to other scientific employees of the Medical University of Lodz.

Biobank HARC has a unique sample storage system.

• Use of liquid nitrogen freezers (LN2) for long-term storage of samples is the optimal solution for storage of some types of biological materials (gaseous or liquid LN2). Biobank HARC has an LN2 tank, which is able to automatically monitor and control the level of liquid nitrogen. Its large capacity allows storage of up to 8,000 vials.
• Biobank HARC also has freezers (-800C), which are equipped with an emergency system called Back-up system, which automatically cools their content in the event of an extension power outage.
• Biobank HARC has a computer BIMS system (Biobank Information Management System). Information on each sample entering and leaving Biobank is stored in the central area BIMS computer system. The actual location of each sample is noted to allow her to be found quickly. Database including clinical data, is stored separately and is secure a method of combining clinical information with biological samples. We are currently storing samples from the Age Psychiatry Clinic at Biobank Elderly and Psychotic Disorders (urine samples, blood samples and serum) and the Clinic of Immunology, Rheumatology and Allergy (samples blood and serum).

Biobank HARC is also equipped with:

• EpMotion 5073 pipetting station – flexible automation system labor-intensive and complex pipetting tasks with software epBlue. EpMotion 5073 is configured to be automatic preparation and pipetting of PCR samples, real-time PCR. In addition, at using MagSep reagent kits for nucleic acid isolation automatic isolation of DNA or RNA preparations from 1 to 24 is possible samples from various sources.
• Tube Sorter – a device enabling fast, automatic transfer of 2D coded tubes between different tiles.
• LightCycler 96 – Real Time PCR

Biobank HARC also introduced assurance procedures protection of privacy of sample donors. Based on the OECD guidelines on Human Biobanks and Genetic Research Databases and ISBER guidelines (International Society of Biological and Environmental Collections, 2012) and in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act (29.08.1997, Dz. Of Laws No. 133, item 883) all information provided by the donor biological material are protected, coded, and research workers they do not have access to the donor’s real identity.

Biobank HARC is monitored 24 hours a day.

Contact: ul. Pomorska 251, 92-213 Łódź, Building C5 Tel. 42 272 53 75;  42 272 53 76 e-mail: biobankharc@umed.lodz.pl