PROFILE: Horizon 2020 and Biobanking
The new European framework programme, Horizon 2020, has just started and thousands of scientists spend hours and hours writing proposals and grant applications. This new framework supports the integration and use of biobanks in future research projects.
Horizon 2020 and its impact
As outlined by the European Union, Horizon 2020 is the largest programme for research and innovation in the European Union ever launched. With nearly €80bn available for funding between 2014 and 2020, it creates the possibilities for a huge number of scientific and economic breakthroughs, new discoveries and patents, bringing ideas and data from the lab bench to the sales office. Additionally, it will generate integrative co-operation between academia and industry and will attract further money from the private sector. Horizon 2020 was launched to implement the European Innovation Union, initiated to secure Europe’s worldwide competitiveness.
Biobanks and their assets
Human biobanks, especially supra-regional biobanks such as Biobank Graz (Austria), are collections of human tissues and corresponding data with an enormous potential for a large variety of research strategies. The samples of human tissues include all kinds of tissues and fluids from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues as well as fresh frozen tissues stored in (the vapour phase of) liquid nitrogen to body fluids such as blood, serum, plasma, urine, saliva and liquor to already processed samples like isolated DNA and RNA. The data stored at biobanks include information on the disease of the patient and optimally also information on lifestyle, co-morbidities and other useful data. Due to the huge numbers of samples stored in biobanks across Europe, there is a large treasure already present that simply needs to be discovered and used.
Combining Horizon 2020 and biobanks
Looking at the calls in the health section of Horizon 2020, it becomes obvious that the European Union has already identified biobanks as a major player in opening new avenues to scientific world firsts. There are calls that specifically address already existing collections of samples in biorepositories and biobanks without offering the opportunity for prospective sample collections. Here, biobanks come into play offering exactly what is asked for in such calls.
At the same time it needs to be stressed that sample and data quality in biobanks shows an astonishing diversity. So far, harmonisation of sample/data collection and storage protocols has not been achieved, and agreeing on a minimal quality level cannot be the way forward. Hence, it remains with large biobanks such as Biobank Graz, networks such as BBMRI-ERIC and societies such as ISBER to develop standards and definitions for best practice in biobanks.
The following example definitively needs to be avoided: a study has collected a specific set of samples from a number of biobanks to increase the number of cases. Looking for their marker of interest the scientists realised that the differences in the samples they detected were not related to cases and controls but rather to the biobank the samples were collected from.
This study exemplifies the utmost importance of collecting and storing samples and data at the highest quality level. Certified biobanks with standardised protocols and SOPs in combination with a direct access to samples and data can provide high quality samples on a routine level, while this may not be case for other smaller biobanks without standard operation procedures.
Taken together, only biobanks with highest quality of samples and data will be able to fulfil the needs Horizon 2020 is asking for: large numbers of excellent samples and data to drive innovative excellence in Europe.
Professor Berthold Huppertz, PhD
Director and CEO, Biobank Graz
Tel: +43 (0)316 3857 2716
