Thanks to you: from participant to laboratory to personalized care
Participant
Your participation in the Biobank enables researchers to work with human samples from participants suffering from respiratory diseases, in an attempt to elucidate their causes and mechanisms. The availability of high-quality, well-documented human biological material in large quantities is essential to improve our understanding of these diseases.
Consent
Consent must be obtained from the Biobank participant or his/her legal representative, if the participant is a minor or incapacitated. Consent must be voluntary, informed and documented.
Collection and conservation
Standardized protocols for sample collection, processing and storage, in line with best practice guidelines, ensure access to high-quality biological samples and their efficient, sustainable use.
Secure database and network
We are committed to protecting the privacy and identity of participants at all times. The AIRS Network Biobank's coded and denominated data are stored on a secure server. Only a few authorized people have access to this server, which is protected by an access code. In addition, data backups are made on a daily basis.
Scientific and ethical approval
Any use of biological samples or data from the Biobank requires acceptance of the research project by the Scientific Committee and the Ethics Committee of the participating research center. Once these approvals and the authorization to carry out the project have been received, the Biobank team can transmit the material and data requested. The approval and monitoring of a research project by a research ethics committee is a guarantee of safety for participants.
Selection process
Depending on the availability of the requested material, the Biobank team selects the biological samples and associated data that meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria set out in the protocol submitted by the researcher.
Distribution
The Biobank team prepares the associated data and materials in optimal conservation conditions and transmits them to the researcher who has requested them. Research data may be published or discussed in scientific circles. At no time can a participant be identified by these data.
Discovery
A scientific discovery is a remarkable advance in the field of science. It officially takes on the status of a scientific discovery when it is recognized by a community of experts or researchers in the field. The Biobank's access to well-preserved biological material and associated data contributes to the growth of these discoveries.
New therapies, personalized medicine, new drugs
Our aim is to use our infrastructure to accelerate the development of new treatments and promote research into lung diseases. We are contributing to the discovery of new biomarkers in blood, targeted therapies and molecular medicine, all of which are examples of personalized medicine, which involves preventing, diagnosing and treating disease according to the condition of each individual participant.