Biosafety and biobanking: Current understanding and knowledge gaps.

Area of Science:

• Biobanking and Biosafety
• Infectious Disease Outbreak Management
• Public Health Research

Background:

• Global health threats like COVID-19 necessitate high-quality biological samples for research.
• Biobanks play a vital role in collecting these samples, leading to increased volumes of materials.
• Concentrated infectious biological materials pose significant safety risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct the first comprehensive review of published scientific literature on biobanking and safety.
• To identify key thematic areas within biobanking safety research.
• To assess the alignment of current practices with existing standards and identify areas for future development.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search for publications on biobanking and safety.
• Thematic analysis of identified scientific works.
• Categorization of findings into distinct areas of safety concern.

Main Results:

• Three primary thematic areas emerged: physical security (staff and sample integrity), data safety, and governance.
• Current publications show general adherence to established biobanking standards and best practices.
• An opportunity exists for more in-depth research and development in biobanking safety.

Conclusions:

• Biobanking safety literature broadly aligns with current standards.
• Further research is needed to enhance physical security, data safety, and governance in biobanking, especially post-COVID-19.
• Strengthening biobanking safety protocols is essential for future pandemic preparedness.