SWElife Nation-wide hospital integrated biobanking of blood and other fluid samples.

Purpose and goal

Biobank Sweden´s overarching aim is to provide a sustainable and long term national infrastructure for biobanking. Hospital integrated biobanking is an important part and the aim is to strengthen medical research in Sweden and to improve and develop the health care for patients. The aim of the project is to facilitate the implementation of the model at hospitals that handles biological samples for research.

Expected results and effects

To date the model has been implemented at 26 hospitals around Sweden ensuring that samples for research are handled in a standardised process resulting in comparable samples. All large biobank facilities and many mid-sized hospitals will also soon have implemented a LIMS-system for handling data related to the biological samples. The power of a national model is that biobanking becomes more efficient and less expensive. It also creates opportunities for patients to be included in studies, regardless of where the live.

Planned approach and implementation

Biobank Sweden coordinates the efforts of implementing the model with financial support from Vinnova and Swelife. The Regional biobank centers and biobankcoordinators has ensured both regional and local coordination. Financial support has been offered to hospitals who wish to implement the model and the application process has been divided into four steps, depending on the local demands and amount of samples.