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Updated: May 8, 2026
Establishment of a Clinic-based Biorepository
Published on: May 29, 2017
The Mayo Clinic Biobank: a building block for individualized medicine
Janet E Olson1, Euijung Ryu, Kiley J Johnson
1Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA. olsonj@mayo.edu
Insights
The Mayo Clinic Biobank enrolled over 21,000 participants in its first 3 years, collecting health data and biological samples. This valuable research resource supports numerous scientific projects.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical research
- Clinical research
- Population health
Background:
- Biobanks are crucial for medical research, enabling large-scale studies on diseases and treatments.
- Community engagement is vital for the ethical design and governance of biobanks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail the design and initial 3-year enrollment of the Mayo Clinic Biobank.
- To establish a comprehensive resource for medical research.
Main Methods:
- Community input was gathered through a 4-day Deliberative Community Engagement.
- Recruitment targeted Mayo Clinic patients aged 18+, including health questionnaires, blood samples, and EMR data access.
- A community advisory board provided ongoing guidance.
Main Results:
- Over 21,700 individuals enrolled in 3 years, with 58% female and 95% of European ancestry.
- Commonly reported conditions include hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and cancer.
- A significant portion of participants (56%) have over 15 years of electronic medical record history.
Conclusions:
- The Mayo Clinic Biobank has been rapidly established as a significant resource for researchers.
- The biobank's infrastructure supports numerous research projects and sample requests.
Objective:
To report the design and implementation of the first 3 years of enrollment of the Mayo Clinic Biobank.
Patients And Methods:
Preparations for this biobank began with a 4-day Deliberative Community Engagement with local residents to obtain community input into the design and governance of the biobank. Recruitment, which began in April 2009, is ongoing, with a target goal of 50,000. Any Mayo Clinic patient who is 18 years or older, able to consent, and a US resident is eligible to participate. Each participant completes a health history questionnaire, provides a blood sample, and allows access to existing tissue specimens and all data from their Mayo Clinic electronic medical record. A community advisory board provides ongoing advice and guidance on complex decisions.
Results:
After 3 years of recruitment, 21,736 individuals have enrolled. Fifty-eight percent (12,498) of participants are female and 95% (20,541) of European ancestry. Median participant age is 62 years. Seventy-four percent (16,171) live in Minnesota, with 42% (9157) from Olmsted County, where the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is located. The 5 most commonly self-reported conditions are hyperlipidemia (8979, 41%), hypertension (8174, 38%), osteoarthritis (6448, 30%), any cancer (6224, 29%), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (5669, 26%). Among patients with self-reported cancer, the 5 most common types are nonmelanoma skin cancer (2950, 14%), prostate cancer (1107, 12% in men), breast cancer (941, 4%), melanoma (692, 3%), and cervical cancer (240, 2% in women). Fifty-six percent (12,115) of participants have at least 15 years of electronic medical record history. To date, more than 60 projects and more than 69,000 samples have been approved for use.
Conclusion:
The Mayo Clinic Biobank has quickly been established as a valuable resource for researchers.
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