Trinity St James’s Biobank Network (TSBN)
The Trinity St James’s Biobank Network is an organisation representing biobanks in Trinity College Dublin and associated hospitals; St James’s Hospital, The Coombe Women’s and Infants University Hospital, Tallaght University Hospital, Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin and Beaumont Hospital.
The purpose of the network is to provide a forum for education, co-ordination and policy generation for all areas in relation to biobanking and associated activities across the University and hospital sites. Embedded in the network is the patient voice.
This webpage details some information for the general public on “What is a biobank?” with some useful graphics and video links. It details the various biobanks in the network and how to contact them to see if you are eligible to participate in the biobank.
There is information for those interested in the biobanks from a scientific, research and policy perspective and links to the medical and scientific leads are detailed if you need to get in touch for more information.
What is a biobank?
A biobank collects samples (tissue, blood or other bodily fluids) and healthcare data (information in your hospital chart such as details about your condition, test results, images/scans) donated by people for health research.
The biobanks work with researchers who use samples and data to learn more about different diseases, helping them to understand the disease better, develop better diagnostic tests, treatments and a better quality of life for people living with a disease. Having samples available in a biobank for health research can help speed up the process of research and enable treatments and tests to be available quicker. All research studies need approval to ensure they are carried out ethically and safely, your rights are protected and the study complies with data protection regulations.
Information that might identify you is removed and replaced with a unique code in the biobank. This code is used instead of your name, address, date of birth, hospital number etc.
You may be invited to take part in a biobank and the decision is completely voluntary. Samples are only taken with the patient’s written consent and a decision not to join the biobank will not impact on the patient’s treatment in any way. The figure below details the process of biobanking.
