About Us
ACU Biobank
The ACU Biobank Unit is a research infrastructure that processes, organizes and stores biological samples and data. It was established to support scientific research by creating high-quality collections of biological samples and data related to diseases and sharing these collections with researchers, encouraging collaboration between researchers, thus providing infrastructure and increasing the opportunity for high-impact research. Our aim is to be a unit that conducts and supports world-class research and development activities in biobanking.
ACU Biobank participated in the European Union Horizon 2020 project "implementAtion anD OPeration of the gateway for healTh-ADOPT BBMRI-ERIC". As part of the Turkish BBMRI network, ACU Biobank has established the necessary infrastructures and implemented the necessary quality management in the collection, processing, storage and distribution of biological samples/data. In this context, it carries out all its activities in accordance with the requirements announced by the International Organization for Standardization for biobanking (ISO 20387:2018).
ACU Biobank, which stores its collections of biological samples and data in compliance with KVKK number 6698, aims to support research targeting to identify and validate new biomarkers or find new genes related to rare or undiagnosed diseases and thus develop therapeutic approaches. Accordingly, each potential collection within the ACU Biobank must be approved by the local ethics committee. In this context, the biobank supports researchers and clinical partners in the projects in which it is a stakeholder by sharing the relevant study protocols and application forms where necessary.
Strategic Objectives
Strategic objectives of the ACU Biobank Unit are:
- Increasing the capacity of biological resource banking,
- Adapting the samples and data that are collected in various fields to up-to-date quality standards,
- Providing researchers access to high-quality material and data,
- Raising awareness in the public about the importance of biobanks in scientific activities,
- Providing services in high-scale technology fields and consultancy to science policies in this regard.