Morocco's First Biobank: Establishment, Ethical Issues, Biomedical Research Opportunities, and Challenges.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Biobanks are highly organized infrastructures that allow the storage of human biological specimens associated with donors' personal and clinical data. These infrastructures play a key role in the development of translational medical research. In this context, we launched, in November 2015, the first biobank in Morocco (BRO Biobank) in order to promote biomedical research and provide opportunities to include Moroccan and North African ethnic groups in international biomedical studies. Here, we present the setup and the sample characteristics of BRO Biobank.

Methods

Patients were recruited at several departments of two major health-care centers in the city of Oujda. Healthy donors were enrolled during blood donation campaigns all over Eastern Morocco. From each part

SUBMITTER: Lhousni S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7738781 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature