Best practices for repositories I: Collection, storage, and retrieval of human biological materials for research

Abstract

THE DESIRE TO PRESERVE biological and environmental specimens for research purposes and to ensure species biodiversity require the development of methods for long-term storage that will enable their effective future use. Sharing successful strategies for accomplishing this goal was one of the early driving forces for the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER). In addition, ISBER fosters education and research and promotes quality and safety in all activities relating to specimen collection, storage and dissemination. ISBER’s Best Practices for Repositories (Best Practices) reflect the collective experience of its members to provide repository professionals with a comprehensive foundation for the guidance of repository activities. These Practices reflect input from individuals within and outside ad hoc committees. Best Practices will be reviewed periodically and will be revised to reflect advances in research and technology. All revisions are subject to approval by the ISBER Council. These Practices reflect the most effective approaches to the establishment and running of specimen collection facilities and are not intended as required practices. The focus of this first version of the ISBER Best Practices is on the management of human specimen collections. It is ISBER’s intention to broaden the focus to include Best Practices surrounding other specimen types in subsequent versions. Likewise, because most of the initial contributions to this edition were from individuals based in the United States, the Practices described here primarily reflect U.S. perspectives. ISBER plans to broaden the scope of the Practices in future editions to include those from other nations in order to make this document more representative of international perspectives and experience.