September 11-12, 2024

Price: $40 USD Members / $120 USD Non-Members.

Format: Online, for a total duration of 3.5 hours (30 min ISBER tool highlight followed by a 3 hour-workshop on Information Management). Attendees are expected to attend one or the other day, based on their location:

• Eastern Americas; EMEA: 9am EDT start on September 11
• Western Americas; IPR; China: 6 pm EDT start on September 12

NB: The workshop will be recorded and made available to watch on-demand to all registered attendees. 

Part 1 - ISBER Tool highlight: Essentials of Biobanking course  

The Essentials of Biobanking Course is a tool available on the ISBER website. It was developed by the Canadian Tissue Repository Network (CTRNet) and modified with country-specific content with input from international biobanking experts. The Essentials of Biobanking Course is based on ISBER Best Practices and is regularly updated and the purpose is to give you a general overview of the key issues in establishing, maintaining, and accessing a biobank.
The course includes 9 online modules designed to provide 'how-to' knowledge for researchers and biobankers and 'what is' knowledge for stakeholders (e.g. public, ethics board members). The CTRNet team is currently updating the Essentials course to align it to the ISBER Best Practices 5th Edition. This presentation will share details about the 9 online modules, how they can be accessed and when the update will be available for ISBER members and non-members.

Presented by:

• Jodi LeBlanc, BC Cancer, Canada
• Kate Lawrence, BC Cancer, Canada

Part 2 - INFORMATION MANAGEMENT IN BIOBANKING: The Nuts and Bolts of Implementing the ISBER Best Practices, 5th Edition IM section

Data associated with specimens is of utmost importance for effective scientific research and reproducibility. Extensive and accurate data associated with specimens is a fundamental asset to each repository. In addition, today's repositories are growing more dependent on data, and in tandem, on supporting data systems. These are key to a variety of functions including general operations, specimen management, communications, stakeholder relations, image or specimen analysis, shipping and logistics, automation, among many others.

Not only are specimen data collected or acquired, but other data are generated by a repository. Data not associated with specimens are often an untapped resource of use to the repository to optimize operations, as well as to other stakeholders, and can be termed repository operation data. Such data are extremely wide ranging and can include agreements with stakeholders, key performance metrics, and specimen location data, among many others.

Data that are specifically generated and used in managing operations can have various levels of sensitivity or confidentiality concerns. Therefore, it is critical to understand what data are collected, acquired, and/or generated during the different phases of the repository, both intended and unintended, and how to sufficiently protect and leverage these resources.

This workshop will support the understanding of the components of information management in biobanks and provide a forum to discuss examples of implementations, potential challenges, and interaction amongst participants about their data management strategies.

Presented by:

• Gregory Grossman, CSO, Advancing Sight Network, USA
• Chris Battison, REDCap Administrator / Research Data Analyst, Research Operations, The Center for Health Research Information Systems, Women’s College Hospital, Canada
• Marianne Henderson, Sr. Advisor for Division Resources and Biobanking, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA
• and additional members of the IM section for the BP 5th edition

Moderated by the biobanking 101/201 Task Force - Debra Garcia, Dee McGarvey, and Marianne Henderson

 

Learning Objectives

1) The integral role that information management plays in a biobank

2) How and why information management within and outside of the biobank should be interoperable

3) The major changes to Information Management section of the Best Practices 5th Edition

4) Example pathways to implementation of the BP recommendations for information management