MMI in association with its partners has recognised the need to develop guidelines to standardise the collection, processing and storage of biological materials across the different clinial and research centres in Ireland. The use of standardised protocols for sample collection, processing and storage will help to provide the proper safeguards and assurances required for sample quality, consistency and integrity among bio-collections at different sites. This harmonisation should allow for the universal interchange of biological materials across sites and the amalgamation of samples for research studies. In addition standardisation of bio-collections will ensure that molecular changes identified by subsequent research studies will reflect biology and not process and for sample variability.

These guidelines will be drafted with reference to national and international best practice guidelines. It is hoped that the adoption of these guidelines will help to provide a structured framework to standardise current biobanking activities.