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Biobank Network and Shared Database

Biobank Network and Shared Database

Context

 

IHU RespirERA draws on the combined strength of its three founding partners: Nice University Hospital, Cochin Hospital in Paris, and the Georges-François Leclerc Center in Dijon. Each of these institutions operates ISO 9001-certified biobanks, housing thousands of biological samples (tissue, blood, DNA, etc.) from patients. These valuable resources are essential for improving our understanding of diseases and advancing medical research.

 

However, these biobanks currently operate as independent entities. Each uses its own IT tools and follows its own internal procedures. This siloed operation significantly limits data sharing, complicates scientific collaboration, and slows down large-scale project development. In short, researchers wishing to access clinical information or samples from multiple centers face numerous technical and organizational hurdles.

 

To meet the challenges of translational research (the ability to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and practical application for patients), it is vital to create simple, centralized, and harmonized access to data and samples. The biobank network project aims to transform these scattered resources into a collective strategic tool.

Project Objectives

 

The project aims to create a genuine network of interconnected biobanks, based on common procedures and shared tools. The goal is to enhance the efficiency and quality of research on respiratory diseases.

 

The main actions include:

  • Harmonizing practices for sample collection, processing, and storage based on a shared ISO 9001 certification across all sites.
  • Deploying shared software for biobank management or, alternatively, ensuring the interoperability of current systems so they can communicate seamlessly.
  • Maintaining and enriching patient cohorts (tumor and non-tumor) by analyzing samples at molecular and cellular levels.
  • Centralizing associated data (clinical info, history, risk factors) in a structured common database.
  • Sharing data with the INRIA-3IA institute, experts in AI, to explore new analysis models and store them in a secure health data warehouse.

 

Through this project, IHU RespirERA seeks to emerge as a national and international reference center for biobanking applied to respiratory pathologies, while encouraging academic and industrial partnerships.

Methodology and Collaboration

 

To ensure the success of this ambitious project, a rigorous collaborative methodology has been established:

  • Harmonization of practices: Teams from different biobanks work together to develop common protocols and achieve network-wide ISO 9001 certification.
  • Common or interoperable tools: Using a single management software (such as ModulBio) or implementing gateways for fluid communication between existing systems.
  • Data standardization: Strict adherence to international frameworks such as MIABIS, BBMRI, ICD-11, and SNOMED CT for data naming and classification.
  • Sample characterization: Samples are analyzed using cutting-edge technologies: genetic sequencing, medical imaging, molecular and exposomic analysis.
  • Partner network: Wide cooperation between clinical teams, research labs, INRIA-3IA data scientists, and public/private partners (pharma, biotechs).

Expected Progress and Impact

 

The creation of this interconnected network represents a major step forward for IHU RespirERA, with concrete impacts:

  • Enabling more ambitious translational research by facilitating access to standardized, well-characterized sample collections.
  • Accelerating the development of new diagnostics, treatments, and prevention tools.
  • Strengthening the IHU’s capacity for national and international collaborations.
  • Increasing attractiveness for young researchers, clinicians, and life science students.
  • Structuring a sustainable ecosystem around respiratory biobanking linked to current public health challenges.
  • Enhancing existing training programs, such as specialized Masters in biobanking and biomedical data management.

 

This project meets two requirements: scientific, by strengthening the IHU’s research and innovation capabilities; and societal, by making the fight against respiratory diseases more effective through the optimized use of biological resources and health data.