The Science of BioBanking - Short Courses

SHORT COURSES

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2009

1:00 – 2:00 pm Short Course Registration

2:00 – 5:00 pm SC1 - Pre-Conference Short Course*
Scientific & Technical Considerations for Developing & Managing Biobanking Protocols

The biospecimen research protocol is the cornerstone of any research utilizing precious biological samples and serves as a crucial tool to support both large and small biobanking programs.  Determining the quality of biological specimens continues to be a significant challenge for all research programs as investigators struggle to delineate biological change from specimen artifact.  Both financial and specimen management are interrelated components of any archival strategy which require careful management to ensure the quality and accessibility of renewable and more importantly, non-renewable biological resources.  The management of biorepository protocols is one of the largest and most important considerations when calculating costs in biobanking programs today, putting sustainable quality operations of biospecimen resources at risk.  While often overlooked, proactive management and design of biobanking protocols can dramatically improve & address critical issues helping most programs achieve the quality required for serving their community.  This workshop will present an in-depth overview and discussion of the following topics:

• Recommended Practice for Protocol Development
• Considerations for Evidence-based Protocol Design
• Factors related to Downstream Analysis
• Operational Strategies for Management of End User Protocols
• Guidelines to Optimize IRB Review
• Issues Related to Culling & Disaster Planning and Financial Considerations & Cost Use Cases

Who Should Attend? 
Biospecimen Resource Directors, Lab Managers, Technicians,  Scientists & Biobank End Users, Regulatory & Informatics Professionals and Policymakers & Grant Writers/Managers

Course Instructors: 
Andrew Brooks, Ph.D., Director, Bionomics Research & Technology, Rutgers University Cell and DNA Repository, RUCDR

Lisa Miranda, President, Biobusiness Consulting Inc.; Former Technical Director, TTAB Core Facility, University of Pennsylvania

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2009

5:30 – 8:30 pm SC2 - Short Course*
Using Automation to Set-up a Successful Research Laboratory: From BioSample to Meaningful Biological Results

Research laboratories are comprised of individual automated systems that should allow seamless access from samples, to reagents, to runs, through to results. Research scientists need to be able to secure biologic samples (storage, processing and retrieval) and run experiments on the selected instrumental platforms (microrrays, qPCR, digital PCR). Always keeping in mind new conditions/instrumentation lead to new protocols as the genomics field matures. This balancing act is comprised of successful utilization of precious resources including biosamples, reagents, instrumentation, and brain power. Embracing these challenges and resulting changes must be done with tight control over budgets to maximize return on investment because there is a high standard set for maximizing value and minimizing waste. Topics to be covered include:

• Robotics (what you really need and what you can do without)
• LIMs 
• ELN/LIMS/Inventory
• IT

Who Should Attend?

Lab managers, technicians, and scientists from biobanks and gene expression laboratories whose top priority is biological results through successful laboratory automation.

Course Instructors:

Nicholas Ilasi, M.Sc., Business Analyst

Petar Stojadinovic, Professor, National University; Lab Automation and LIMS Consultant and Trainer, AutomationTrainer.com

*Separate registration required