Sweden

Karolinska Institutet (KI) Biobank

The Karolinska Institute (KI) Biobank is a modern and high-tech infrastructure for pre-analytical handling, storage and distribution of human biological samples. In total the collection comprises more than 9 million samples, including 250 registered collections, varying in size from a few hundred sample donors up to tens of thousands. KI Biobank provides services for collection, handling, storage and traceability of biobank samples, and supports customers both within and outside of Karolinska Institute.

Key facts

Name of the connected EIT Health partner: Karolinska Institute
Number of individuals: Total ~700,000
Biobank confirmed willingness to provide samples/data for EIT Health studies: KI Biobank contains a large number of sample collections for medical research. After ethics approval, permission from the biobank custodian and permission from the PI or committee granting access to the respective collections, samples may be available for EIT- Health studies.
Contact person(s) and contact data
(e-mail address, tel. no) for access purposes:		 The sample collections are usually available for collaborations after contact with the responsible researcher or contact: biobank@ki.se https://ki.se/forskning/ki-biobank
Number of samples: Total ~9 million
Sample type: The most common types are blood and DNA but others, such as plasma, serum, saliva, urine, cerebrospinal fluid are also collected. 
Website: https://ki.se/forskning/ki-biobank
Website: Karolinska Institute (KI)

General information

Type of biobank: At KI Biobank there are all kinds of sample collections stored for research.
If longitudinal the frequency: Not available.
Link to central portal to seek samples and data: http://bbmriregister.meb.ki.se:8080/AwareIM/
logonGuest.aw?domain=BBMRIRegister
Broad consent: Consent to save samples for future research.

Ethical consent in Sweden is rarely broad, and almost always linked to specific disease areas. Consent to participate in a study should always be informed and specified according to GDPR. A new approval from the Ethics Review Authority in Sweden is needed for each new study. They also assess whether the study can be covered by the already obtained consent or if new consent needs to be obtained.
Option to recall donors: Varies from collection to collection.
Option to recall family members: Varies from collection to collection.

Biobank access procedure:

Major terms for access: Samples can be made available to research groups and companies after a decision from the ethical review authority, application to biobank custodian and permission from the group or committee granting access to the respective samples. 
Ethical and legal compliance: When all conditions are agreed the service is very reliable. 
Speed and reliability of delivery: Delivery times depend on scale of order but are always competitive.
Pricing: Prices are according to our published price list.

Quality management system:

Storage: Storage of samples is at -20, -80 and -190 C depending on sample type.
Compliance with international standards: Conforms to SPREC.
Current ISO certificates: KI biobank is not ISO certified.

Data:

Clinical data linked to samples: Dependent on agreement to share data.
Data standards: Very high standards of data security, quality and integrity are in operation.
Data security rules: Very high standards of data security, quality and integrity are in operation.

Biobank related service:

Research support, what type of expertise?: Biobank services cover three main areas:
1) Study start-up and advice throughout the different phases of the research study
2) Sample handling and IT-system for traceability
3) sample registration.
Core facility services; what type? Link?: Not available.
Queries from national health registers: Not available.
Links to the model contract and MTA: https://biobanksverige.se/research/useful-resources/application-form-selector/

IP:

IP rules, what is negotiable?: Not available.
Requirements to study results (access etc.): Not available.
Participant’s right to the information: Not available.
Number of access contracts with industry: We have 5 industrial customers at present

COVID-19 samples:

Access to biological samples from patients with COVID-19?

  • Serum
  • Full blood (for RNA extraction)
  • EDTA-Full blood (for DNA extraction)
  • EDTA-Plasma
  • Citrate-Plasma
  • PBMC (Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells)
  • Nasopharyngeal aspirate
  • Tracheal aspirate
 Not available.
Contact person(s) and contact data (e-mail address, tel. no) for access purposes Not available.