News – OpenSpecimen

From Donor to Discovery and Diagnosis: A Comprehensive 2026 Review of International Biobanking Guidelines Underpinning Molecular Pathology-Driven Cancer Diagnostics, with a Practical Roadmap for Establishing a New Biobank

Rashmi — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 06:42:12 +0000

Cancer diagnosis increasingly relies on molecular tests performed on stored blood and tissue samples, and the reliability of those tests depends on how carefully the samples were collected, processed, and stored. Biobanks are the facilities that safeguard these samples, and international guidelines define how they should operate. Many of these guidelines have changed in the last three years, making older summaries out of date. This review brings together, in one place, the 2026 status of the international standards, ethical and legal rules, quality requirements, and data standards that govern biobanking, and explains where each one acts along the journey from donor to diagnosis. It also offers a practical, step-by-step roadmap and checklist to help hospitals and research teams establish new biobanks that are trustworthy, sustainable, and ready to support precision cancer medicine. Finally, it sets out in practical terms how to keep the time between removing a sample and preserving it as short as possible, and how the quality of living laboratory models grown from patients’ tumors should be checked before those models are used.

This article was published in MDPI Cancers.

To read full article follow- https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18182974

Applications of Microbial Biobanking in Research and Industry

Rashmi — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 05:04:52 +0000

Microbial biobanking acts like a safe deposit for microscopic organisms, keeping them under special conditions to ensure they remain alive and unchanged. This preservation is crucial as it ensures that these valuable microbes are available for future studies and uses. For instance, biobanks store bacteria that can produce antibiotics or yeast varieties used in brewing beer, which are essential for pharmaceutical and food industries. Some biobanks also preserve rare or endangered microbial species, which could be critical in restoring environmental balances or in bio-remediation projects to clean up pollutants.

Moreover, having access to a stable supply of well-maintained microbes allows scientists to perform experiments with consistent and reliable results. This consistency is vital for advancing medical research, such as developing new vaccines or understanding disease mechanisms. For example, researchers use strains from biobanks to study bacteria that impact human gut health or to develop microbes that can convert plant waste into biofuels. Essentially, microbial biobanks play a pivotal role in utilizing the potential of microscopic life to drive scientific innovation and address global challenges in health, agriculture, and environmental sustainability.

This article explores the applications of Microbial Biobanking in various sectors

Read the full article at: https://www.biobanking.com/applications-of-microbial-biobanking-in-research-and-industry/

A tumour-derived organoid biobank maps cancer gene dependencies

Rashmi — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 09:02:34 +0000

Cancer cell lines remain foundational for research and drug discovery, yet they incompletely capture tumour diversity, lack linked patient context, and have undergone adaptation to culture. Tumour organoids are three-dimensional cultures derived from patient tissue that offer a powerful complement to cell lines¹. Here we derived and characterized 256 clinically annotated tumour organoids directly from colorectal, oesophageal, ovarian, pancreatic and gastric cancers as renewable, genetically stable models. Extensive characterization of each model and matched patient tumour samples included whole-genome and transcriptome sequencing, and genome-wide CRISPR–Cas9 screens across 162 organoids mapped gene dependencies. Integrative analyses revealed genomic and clinical markers of dependency across common and rare subtypes, identified organoid-specific essential genes, and revealed targetable vulnerabilities following tumour evolution in paired pre- and post-treatment samples. In colorectal cancer, functional and pharmacological interrogation of the EGFR–RAS–MAPK axis uncovered differential effects of KRAS variant alleles. This open, publicly available resource provides a systematic map of gene dependencies in patient-derived organoids, expanding the model diversity and mechanistic insight needed to advance precision oncology.

This paper was published in Springer Nature by the team of C. Herranz-Ors under the guidance of M. J. Garnett

Source: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10830-y

Understanding the value of biobank attributes to researchers using a conjoint experiment

Rashmi — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 05:21:18 +0000

Biobanks are important in biomedical and public health research, and future healthcare research relies on their strength and capacity. However, there are financial challenges related to the operation of commercial biobanks and concerns around the commercialization of biobanks. Non-commercial biobanks depend on grant funding to operate and could be valuable to researchers if they can enable access to quality specimens at lower costs. The objective of this study is to estimate the value of specific biobank attributes. We used a rating-based conjoint experiment approach to study how researchers valued handling fee, access, quality, characterization, breadth of consent, access to key endemics, and time taken to fulfil requests. We found that researchers placed the greatest relative importance on the quality of specimens (26%), followed by the characterization of specimens (21%). Researchers with prior experience purchasing biological samples also valued access to key endemic in-country sites (11.6%) and low handling fees (5.5%) in biobanks.

This paper was published by Dr Deepshikha Batheja and her team in Nature Scientific Reports.

For the full article: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-49394-6

Biobanks in veterinary forensic medicine: A systematic review on Advances, challenges, and applications in combating wildlife trafficking

Rashmi — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 05:05:31 +0000

Background and Aim: Biobanks represent organized repositories of biological samples linked to associated data, designed for long-term scientific, clinical, and forensic utilization. In veterinary medicine, animal biobanks facilitate biomedical research, genetic resource preservation, species conservation, and forensic investigations. The present systematic review aimed to synthesize advances, persistent challenges, and practical applications of biobanks in veterinary forensic medicine, with particular emphasis on their contribution to detection, investigation, and suppression of wildlife trafficking.

Results: Of 1,495 records identified, 15 studies fulfilled all inclusion criteria after exclusion of 1,460 irrelevant or non-qualifying publications. No eligible articles appeared between 2013 and 2014. From 2015 onward, publications demonstrated progressive refinement, transitioning from molecular barcoding for species identification toward integrated applications in geographic origin assignment, chain-of-custody documentation, and evidentiary support in judicial proceedings. Key materials included DNA from muscle, scales, claws, and feathers; cryopreserved gonadal tissues; and somatic cells derived from minimally invasive sources (e.g., feather follicles) or roadkill specimens. Studies highlighted particular utility in identifying fraudulently labeled fishery products, counterfeit mammalian derivatives (e.g., fake tiger claws), and confiscated pangolin scales, as well as in tracing trafficking routes in high biodiversity regions.

Conclusion: Veterinary forensic biobanks offer substantial potential for accurate species and geographic provenance determination, thereby strengthening enforcement against illegal wildlife trade. Nevertheless, implementation remains constrained by absent standardized operating procedures, limited practitioner awareness, fragmented reference databases, inadequate inter-institutional connectivity, and elevated logistic/financial demands. Regionalized biobanks integrated with wildlife screening centers (CETAS), harmonized chain-of-custody protocols, and artificial intelligence-supported data curation are proposed as priority strategies to translate existing scientific advances into routine forensic and conservation practice.

This paper was published in Veterinary World by the team of Natália Freitas de Souza under the guidance of Noeme Sousa Rocha

Source: 10.14202/vetworld.2026.933-947

Quality matters: International standards for biobanking

Rashmi — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:56:43 +0000

Human biospecimens provide the basis for research, leading to a better understanding of human disease biology and discovery of new treatments that are tailored to individual patients with cancer or other common complex diseases. The collection, processing, preservation, storage, and providing access to these resources are key activities of biobanks. Biobanks must ensure proper quality of samples and data, ethical and legal compliance, as well as transparent and efficient access procedures. The standards for biobanking outlined herein are intended to be implemented in biobanks and to supply researchers with high-quality samples fitted for an intended use.

This paper was published in Cell Proliferation by Georges Dagher, Emeritus Research Director at Inserm, Paris.

https://doi.org/10.1111/cpr.13282

How Marine Cryopreservation Is Pausing Extinction for Ocean Life

Prathamesh Sontakke — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 04:41:15 +0000

Abstract: As climate change alters ocean chemistry faster than species can adapt, marine scientists are turning to cryogenic biobanks as both a biological record and an ecological insurance policy. While maintaining living cultures in lab bottles allows organisms to continuously adapt and evolve away from their natural state, ultra-low temperature cryopreservation literally “stops time”. By locking gametes, microalgae, and tissue samples in liquid nitrogen tanks at sub-zero temperatures, researchers preserve exact genetic snapshots of marine organisms as they existed in the wild, safeguarding biodiversity against rising ocean temperatures.

This frozen archive is moving directly into active ecosystem restoration through breakthroughs like “coral IVF”. In regions where coral populations have become too sparse to fertilise naturally, scientists are using cryopreserved sperm and heat-resilient algae to cross-breed and reseed dying reefs in the Caribbean and Pacific. However, marine biobanking also introduces complex questions around preserving entire symbiotic microbiomes rather than isolated species, while navigating ethical rights and indigenous connections to “sea country” when living heritage is stored hundreds of miles away in a freezer.

Read the full article here: https://www.modernghana.com/news/1505970/marine-biobanks-the-science-of-stopping-time.html

How Biobanks Reveal Ongoing Natural Selection in Humans

Prathamesh Sontakke — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 05:57:56 +0000

Abstract: While biobanks are traditionally designed to advance precision medicine, a landmark study in The American Journal of Human Genetics proves they are also powerful tools for studying modern human evolution. By analyzing allele frequency shifts across age groups in over 72,000 Han Taiwanese participants, researchers uncovered 168 genetic variants showing clear signs of ongoing natural selection, with roughly 90% being rare variants that standard genomic scans typically miss. These findings demonstrate that human populations are actively evolving, offering critical insights into how selective pressures continue to shape disease susceptibility.

The study revealed complex evolutionary trade-offs across critical DNA repair genes like BRCA1, BRCA2, and MLH1, where purifying and positive selection act side-by-side. Researchers also identified pleiotropic genes such as ATG9A and FADS2 affecting cardiovascular, liver, and kidney functions, alongside 150 red blood cell variants tied to historical malaria adaptation in Taiwan. Applying this age-stratified biobank framework globally will help bridge non-European genomic gaps, transforming how we understand human diversity and disease risk.

Read the full article here: https://www.biocompare.com/Life-Science-News/627060-Large-Biobanks-Reveal-Signs-of-Ongoing-Natural-Selection-in-Humans/

How Next-Gen Biobanks Are Revolutionizing Precision Medicine

Prathamesh Sontakke — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 04:35:59 +0000

Abstract: Modern biobanks are rapidly evolving from static storage facilities into dynamic, AI-driven digital ecosystems. By pairing deep longitudinal electronic health records with multiomic data, large-scale repositories like the UK Biobank and Singapore’s PRECISE-SG100K are shifting research away from isolated snapshots of health. This scale enables scientists to track complex disease progression across vast populations, turning raw biological data into reproducible, real-world clinical impact.

While genomics reveals our static baseline risk, proteomics captures real-time physiological shifts, making it a critical tool for early disease detection. Recent studies demonstrate that analyzing thousands of circulating proteins can identify early biological markers of cancer up to 7 years before clinical symptoms appear. Coupled with AI-driven analytics, standardized collection protocols, and diverse population cohorts, next-generation biobanks are laying the groundwork for earlier diagnostics, precise patient stratification, and accelerated drug discovery.

Get the full article here: https://www.technologynetworks.com/proteomics/articles/biobanks-proteomics-and-ai-converge-to-advance-precision-medicine-414413

Cellular Clocks: How Accelerated Aging is Driving Cancers in Younger Adults

Prathamesh Sontakke — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:50:29 +0000

Abstract: For decades, cancer was considered a disease that primarily affected older adults after a lifetime of cellular wear and tear. However, a groundbreaking study published in Nature Medicine reveals a concerning new trend: younger generations are aging biologically faster than previous generations did at the same chronological age. By analyzing health data and standard blood markers from over 160,000 participants in the UK Biobank and the U.S. All of Us Research Program, researchers calculated an “age gap” comparing a person’s actual age to their biological cellular health. The findings showed that adults born in the 1990s have a significantly higher biological age gap than those born in the 1960s, providing a clear biological link to why early-onset cancers have risen sharply over the past decade.

This accelerated cellular aging carries direct health consequences, with every step increase in the biological age gap tied to an eight percent higher risk of developing early-onset solid cancers. The strongest associations were found in lung, gastrointestinal, and uterine tissues, driven largely by modern lifestyle stressors like ultra-processed diets, physical inactivity, and environmental toxin exposures. Fortunately, biobanks are helping researchers turn these insights into action by demonstrating how routine blood tests can track biological age. By identifying young adults whose cells are aging prematurely, clinicians can move away from one-size-fits-all screening guidelines and implement targeted, early interventions long before tumors can develop.

Get the full article here: https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/rapid-ageing-in-young-adults-tied-to-hike-in-cancer-rates-us-study/