COVER STORY / ADVERTISING FEATURE
Biobanking: a cornerstone of modern biomedical science
Biobanking has become a cornerstone of modern biomedical science, underpinning advances in diagnostics, epidemiology and personalised medicine.
PP February 2026
Volume 27 Issue 1
www.pathologyinpractice.com
BSMT Microbiology Conference preview: microbial technology in practice
Liquid biopsy: transforming cancer research through circulating biomarkers
Biobanking: a cornerstone of modern biomedical science
Alongside the rapid expansion of human tissue and serum banks, the long-term preservation of microorganisms has assumed growing importance, providing essential reference material for clinical laboratories, research institutions and public health services worldwide. Modern solutions are available to
tackle the challenges of preserving viable microbial cultures over extended periods, including automated sample management platforms, such as the NEO biobanking system, as well as specialist preservation technologies like Microbank. Together, these developments illustrate how robust biobanking infrastructure continues to support discovery, surveillance and diagnostic excellence in an increasingly data-driven era.
The expansion of many private,
commercial, educational and research biobanks continues to offer an ever- increasing source of samples that can be accessed and used for individual reference and study, or by multiple international groups where access is granted. The biobanking process begins
with obtaining informed consent from individuals who agree to donate their biological materials for research. After collection, samples undergo various processing steps, including aliquoting, quality control checks, and the extraction of specific molecules like DNA or RNA. These processed samples are then stored long-term under controlled conditions, often in cryogenic freezers at ultra-low temperatures, such as –80°C or in liquid nitrogen at –196°C, to ensure preservation. Data management systems track each sample and its associated information from collection to distribution.
NEO sample management To focus a litle on serum biobanking in the UK. In the NHS today, clinical laboratory testing continues to move at a tremendous pace and the appropriate biobanking of the samples has to be very carefully considered and planned. Manual preparation of the samples and storing at –20°C to –70°C is time-consuming, costly and carries a risk of human error, and there are now a number of automated platforms available to manage this process efficiently. When selecting an appropriate platform, consider improving productivity and ensure the system not only meets current but also future needs, allowing for significant increases in sample numbers as the UK laboratory landscape continues
The NEO system uses integrated 2D barcodes, together with software which guarantees traceability and efficient retrieval from the biobank.
6
WWW.PATHOLOGYINPRACTICE.COM February 2026
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
