About the GLBRN

 

Access to biospecimens is a critical component of biological research today. Biobanks often have archives of banked biospecimens that could have significant value for research.  The access to these archived biobanks is also often tedious and cumbersome especially across institutions. Therefore biobanks and their institutions have the opportunity to serve the donors of these biospecimens and research investigators by developing a transparent and streamlined approach to access these biospecimens.  Banked biospecimens occur as sets of extra amounts of samples, derivatives of specimens, or a prospective process to collect a wide range of diseased tissues for research. Additionally, biobanks strive to be good stewards and respect the intentions of persons/patients that donated these biospecimens to make these valuable samples available for research.

 

The members of the GLBRN acknowledge the difficulty of individual distribution of banked biospecimens from one biobank to researchers of the another biobank due to institutional policies and procedures for the transfer of materials, and are committed to examining institutional policies and procedures in order to address common hurdles to enhanced utilization and distribution of banked biospecimens. 

 

The GLBRN is a collaborative effort between the members to implement uniform, streamlined policies and procedures for the distribution and utilization of biobanked specimens to researchers of the members.  The goals of the GLBRN follow:

 

1. To improve biospecimen management/collection/standardization;

2. To expedite access to biospecimens through a common Banked Biospecimen Distribution Agreement (not a requirement for joining); and

3. To inspire institutional collaboration between the Parties.

 

The members of the GLBRN agree to collaborate on the development and implementation of Structure and Operating guidelines and a Biospecimen Distribution Agreement.

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If interested in joining the GLBRN, see the join the GLBRN page.

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Descriptions of each GLBRN Member Institution Biobank can be found here.