The collection, storage, management and use of material of human origin used in clinical research is subject to strict regulation and ethical authorisation. The Swiss Biobanking Platform (SBP) is the principal national infrastructure entrusted with the management of these types of samples. Recently, it certified the first biobank at the University of Fribourg, which is thus now linked to this important network.

Clinical and translational research on humans is increasingly using tissue, blood and other samples for laboratory analysis. This includes oncology research, which heavily relies on this practice.

An Important Instrument Serving Cancer Research
In this context, the team of Professor Curzio Rüegg from the Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology (OMI) at the University of Fribourg is coordinating the GENOA study. Its aim is to develop a new generation of blood screening tests for breast cancer in collaboration with the hôpital fribourgeois (HFR), the réseau hospitalier neuchâtelois (NHe), the centre de chimiothérapie anti-cancéreuse (CACC), the centre d'imagerie du Flon (CiF) and the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV). This sample collection, named Biobank GENOA-Unifr, was recently certified by the SBP after having met all the necessary requirements, including IT and access security, data protection, storage conditions and quality, in addition to compliance with the ethics commission’s authorisation.

A Thousand Samples
As well as for the study, this is a significant recognition for the University of Fribourg, which is now officially part of this important national research network. Having already provided successful preliminary results, the GENOA study is expected to continue the recruitment of patients, reaching the 200 mark towards the end of 2023 with some thousand samples stored.

> Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology webpage
> Website of the Swiss Biobanking Platform