TY - JOUR
T1 - Stakeholder engagement to ensure the sustainability of biobanks
T2 - a survey of potential users of biobank services
AU - Klingler, Corinna
AU - von Jagwitz-Biegnitz, Magdaléna
AU - Baber, Ronny
AU - Becker, Karl Friedrich
AU - Dahl, Edgar
AU - Eibner, Cornelius
AU - Fuchs, Jörg
AU - Groenewold, Maike K.
AU - Hartung, Mara Lena
AU - Hummel, Michael
AU - Jahns, Roland
AU - Kirsten, Romy
AU - Kopfnagel, Verena
AU - Maushagen, Regina
AU - Nussbeck, Sara Yasemin
AU - Schoneberg, Anne
AU - Winter, Theresa
AU - Specht, Cornelia
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - Biobanks are important infrastructures facilitating biomedical research. After a decade of rolling out such infrastructures, a shift in attention to the sustainability of biobanks could be observed in recent years. In this regard, an increase in the as yet relatively low utilisation rates of biobanks has been formulated as a goal. Higher utilisation rates can only be achieved if the perspectives of potential users of biobanks—particularly researchers not yet collaborating with biobanks—are adequately considered. To better understand their perspectives, a survey was conducted at ten different research institutions in Germany hosting a centralised biobank. The survey targeted potential users of biobank services, i.e. researchers working with biosamples. It addressed the general demand for biosamples, strategies for biosample acquisition/storage and reasons for/against collaborating with biobanks. In total, 354 researchers filled out the survey. Most interestingly, only a minority of researchers (12%) acquired their biosamples via biobanks. Of the respondents not collaborating with biobanks on sample acquisition, around half were not aware of the (services of the) respective local biobank. Those who actively decided against acquiring biosamples via a biobank provided different reasons. Most commonly, respondents stated that the biosamples required were not available, the costs were too high and information about the available biosamples was not readily accessible. Biobanks can draw many lessons from the results of the survey. Particularly, external communication and outreach should be improved. Additionally, biobanks might have to reassess whether their particular collection strategies are adequately aligned with local researchers’ needs.
AB - Biobanks are important infrastructures facilitating biomedical research. After a decade of rolling out such infrastructures, a shift in attention to the sustainability of biobanks could be observed in recent years. In this regard, an increase in the as yet relatively low utilisation rates of biobanks has been formulated as a goal. Higher utilisation rates can only be achieved if the perspectives of potential users of biobanks—particularly researchers not yet collaborating with biobanks—are adequately considered. To better understand their perspectives, a survey was conducted at ten different research institutions in Germany hosting a centralised biobank. The survey targeted potential users of biobank services, i.e. researchers working with biosamples. It addressed the general demand for biosamples, strategies for biosample acquisition/storage and reasons for/against collaborating with biobanks. In total, 354 researchers filled out the survey. Most interestingly, only a minority of researchers (12%) acquired their biosamples via biobanks. Of the respondents not collaborating with biobanks on sample acquisition, around half were not aware of the (services of the) respective local biobank. Those who actively decided against acquiring biosamples via a biobank provided different reasons. Most commonly, respondents stated that the biosamples required were not available, the costs were too high and information about the available biosamples was not readily accessible. Biobanks can draw many lessons from the results of the survey. Particularly, external communication and outreach should be improved. Additionally, biobanks might have to reassess whether their particular collection strategies are adequately aligned with local researchers’ needs.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85106254089&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41431-021-00905-x
DO - 10.1038/s41431-021-00905-x
M3 - Article
C2 - 34031552
AN - SCOPUS:85106254089
SN - 1018-4813
VL - 30
SP - 1344
EP - 1354
JO - European Journal of Human Genetics
JF - European Journal of Human Genetics
IS - 12
ER -