Biobanks in practice (a comparative perspective )

Since the end of the 1990s, biobanks have become a major issue for the live-sciences and the biotechnologies, especially due to the possibilities of informatics. At the same time, the concept of biobanks is far from being something new. Their significance, however, is indeed new, in the sense that the biological specimens and associated data collected in biobanks are no longer considered as material, but as 'biological resources' (OCDE 1999: 11). In this thesis, l present the study of the practices of three French biobanks in a comparative manner: namely, the Généthon DNA and Cell Bank, the Biobank of Picardy, and the Tumour Bank of the Saint-Louis Hospital. The objective was to explore how the practices of biobanks (through valorisation, standardisation, governance, and regulation) gained such significance. The methodological orientation of this thesis was based on 'grounded theory' (Clarke 2005; Glaser and Strauss 1967) and used multiple sources of evidence (such as documents, protocols, and interviews) to ensure construct validity. In order to study the new significance of biobanks in an appropriate way, my approach was based on the conviction that the researcher has to focus on the 'inside' accounts. Therefore, l have studied during a considerable amount of time, the practices of biobankers in attending their meetings and participating at their daily routines. This thesis presents the results of this study.PARIS3-BU (751052102) / SudocSudocFranceAustriaFRA

Public perceptions of cohort studies and biobanks in Germany

Cohort studies and biobank projects have led to public discussions in several European countries in the past. In Germany, many medium-sized studies are currently running successfully in terms of respondent rates. However, EU-wide research on general public perceptions of biobanks and cohort studies have shown that Germany is among those countries where people express the highest reluctance for providing body material and other data for research purposes. Because of early efforts of the just-initiated German National Cohort Study, we are able to begin to investigate in greater detail how various groups of people across Germany reflect and discuss the ongoing implementation of cohort studies and biobanking in Germany. Our research is based on 15 focus group discussions in four German regions, as well as on Eurobarometer poll data on biobanking