In order to understand biorepository data management, you must first understand biorepositories. Biorepositories include the management of biospecimens. By understanding the concept, users can better grasp the importance of proper biorepository data management.
What are Biospecimens
Biospecimens are things such as tissue, plasma, blood and urine which have been derived from patients. These things are often stored to be used for general research. The hope is that by researching these biospecimens knowledge can be gained which can help patients suffering from similar conditions, such as cancer, in the future. An important fact to remember is these are used only for research purposes only, not for transplants or such.
What are Biorepositories
A biorepository is considered a library where biospecimens are stored. They are stored here for either clinical or research purposes. Certain information is stored along with the biospecimens. This information includes clinical information about the patient as well as demographic information. Biorepositories are crucial for research of biospecimens since they provide a way to research and develop therapies which are better targeted towards patients.
Why is this Important
As of January 1, 2014 there were approximately 14.5 million children and adults who had a history of cancer were still alive. There will be an estimated 1,658,370 new cases of cancer diagnosed in the year 2015. Cancer research and treatments have improved drastically over the years. This would not have been possible without some form of a biorepository.
How Does Biorepository Data Management Help
A survey of 700 cancer research centers was conducted in 2011. The findings concluded that roughly 47% had trouble finding biobank samples which met specific quality standards. Biorepository Data Management helps by offering sample management and freezer inventory. With these, shipping samples to other sites is a simple process. Web enabled freezer software allows laboratories and institutions to simply conduct research and easily manage clinical trials. The flexibility offered gives users a broad range of options they can use with ease. Patient information is protected while quality samples can be used to further much needed research and therapies.
