European biobanks in the coronavirus environment

Abstract

Statement of the Problem: Europe and the whole world have been facing the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a new situation that nobody was prepared or ready to face. Proposed Solution: The reactions to the new situation were solved at different levels from very locally, regionally at the level of member states of EU, international societies and associations and finally coordinated by European Commission (EC), and also with regards the rest of the world, e.g. China, USA, Canada. New COVID-19 biobanks were created as parts of just existing biobanks not well coordinated with each other and harmonized. BBMRI-ERIC (Biobanking and BioMolecular resources Research Infrastructure - European Research Infrastructure Consortium) immediately organized coordinated approach and sharing experience in COVID-19 patient samples and harmonized its activities resulting in joint action sharing COVID-19 databases with ISBER. The European Commission started to coordinate research activities supporting 18 projects with special attendance to following aspects: improving epidemiology and public health, including European preparedness and response to outbreaks. Rapid point-of-care diagnostic tests to reduce the risk of further spread of the virus. New treatments, in which a dual approach: accelerating the development of new treatments and screening and identifying molecules that could work against the virus, using advanced modelling and computing techniques, and development of new vaccines. A COVID-19 data portal was created. COVID-19 industrial cluster response portal was established. SMEs portal involved in COVID-19 was supported. Research infrastructure services to support the fight against COVID- 19 were originated under umbrella of European Commission. The most important activities and actions will be presented. Conclusions: The pandemic has changed all aspects of biobanking life and science, accelerated new techniques and technologies how to collect, process and store COVID-19 samples, basic research, research in the field of new vaccines, therapeutic procedures, implementation of IT solutions. Pandemic supports the international collaboration and samples and data sharing, and creation of new types of virtual biobanks.

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