Biobank and sample services
At the beginning of 2023, the Blood Service’s biobank activities were transferred from the research organisation to the new Biobank and sample services unit, which is responsible for the operations of the Blood Service Biobank and is an administrative host of the Finnish Hematology Registry and Clinical Biobank (FHRB). The unit is now also responsible for sample services provided by the Blood Service, i.e. the delivery of the surplus of blood components, collected from blood donors, for product development or laboratory purposes.
During the reporting year we carried out sample collections for the FinnGen research project and joined the FinnGen3 follow-up research project. During the FinnGen project, the genomic data of about 50,000 blood donors has already been returned to the Biobank. We also carried out a pilot project on screening for a genetic defect causing haemochromatosis (iron overload) and returning the data to Biobank donors. The project received funding from the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra.
Our Biobank incorporated a new product into its product portfolio – white blood cell fractions targeted on the basis of genotype. donors.