Abstract

The BioBank Dresden (BBD), located at the University Hospital Dresden / the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Dresden, operates in close cooperation with the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (NCT). It supports research in the field of human medicine, particularly in cancer research. Patient samples transferred from the clinics are processed according to current guidelines and laboratory standards using robotic systems. Following cell isolation, the samples are transferred into LVL SAFE® 2D Tubes, where they undergo an automatic freezing process and cryopreservation in an automated storage system, making them available for selective use in research.

The high quality and long-term stability of the LVL SAFE® 2D Tubes, their application-friendly design, and their compatibility with devices and storage systems guarantee a safe and secure process. The combination of machine- and human-readable codes optimizes practicability in the biobank and in research projects.

The BioBank Dresden is a clinically integrated biobank. Within the biobank, biosamples from patients and healthy volunteers are processed and stored in a quality-assured and data protection-compliant manner. Tissue and liquid specimens are obtained during routine diagnostics and therapy in the context of surgeries, biopsies, punctures, blood sampling, and urine collection. They are then transferred to the BioBank Dresden with patient consent. Currently, the BioBank manages over 100,000 biosamples. An infrastructure expansion to increase storage capacity to over 5 million biosamples is underway.

Accreditation according to DIN EN ISO 20387 will be achieved shortly. With its collection of samples, the BioBank Dresden supports numerous research projects, making a significant contribution to better understanding, more efficient therapy, and curing diseases.

Biosamples from various diseases are managed and made available for research. These include, for example, patient samples from gastrointestinal tumors, lymphomas, dermatological carcinomas, urological tumors, and non-oncological diseases such as immune thrombocytopenia, COVID-19, and neurological diseases. The samples studied by scientists have so far led to new insights and publications in scientific journals.

• Submission of tissue and liquid biosamples such as blood, urine, serum, bone marrow, and cerebrospinal fluid to the biobank in large monovettes.
• Within a short time after sample intake: fully automated sample aliquoting and cell isolation as well as transfer into LVL SAFE® 2D Tubes in robotic systems.
• Immediate controlled freezing of the samples in the LVL SAFE® 2D Tubes from room temperature to –100°C; creation of the freezing order for automatic storage in the freezing robotics.
• Transfer of the racks with the frozen samples in secure transport systems in the gas phase of liquid nitrogen to the storage system, always maintaining the cold chain.
• Fully automated storage of the samples in tanks in the gas phase of liquid nitrogen after verification of the 2D codes; robotic-controlled storage at temperatures from –150°C to –185°C.
• Sample selection for analyses within scientific projects according to ethical and scientific regulations.
• Database-controlled selection, barcode-specific picking of the relevant tubes, and their retrieval from the automated storage system – provision of the samples for scientists in racks.
• All relevant information, including sample content, storage location, processing information, etc., is assigned to the LVL codes during the processes.
• Scanning and reading of the tube and rack codes are done fully automatically and very easily with the LVL SAFE® Tube and Tube Rack READER, for both individual tubes and entire racks with tubes – transfer of the codes via the compatible interface into the existing sample management system.

LVL SAFE® 2D Tubes: SX 300 (DNA, RNA), MX 500 plasma, serum, cerebrospinal fluid, buffy coat), LX 1000 (urine, cells, cell-free DNA plasma)

The tubes are printed and delivered with an additional barcode and a human-readable code, in addition to the standard machine-readable 2D code.

Devices: LVL SAFE® Tube and Tube Rack READER

• Goal: more sustainable product use and cost savings
• Current practical test of 100% recycled racks
  (rack, rack lid, and rack closure system)

Compatibility with equipment and workflow of the entire process

• Excellent compatibility with automated systems in the process: pipetting robots, cell isolation robotics, freezing robotics,
  automated nitrogen storage systems.
• Excellent handling for manual processes in the laboratory.
• Suitable for storage at various temperatures, both for processing at room temperature and for storage at –20°C, –80°C,
  and in liquid nitrogen at –196°C.

Excellent availability of validation data for project planning – high product quality

• Certified data on leak tightness according to IATA – ensured leak tightness of the tubes, an important criterion for product
  selection.
• Ensuring long-term stability and quality preservation of samples (no release of substances from the sample material into
  the sample).
• Efficient tube dimensions – high packing density possible – resulting in lower storage costs per rack (very expensive
  storage robotics), significantly lower energy consumption, energy costs, and CO2 emissions.

Well-designed coding concept and high reading quality

• The combination of machine-readable codes on the racks, two machine-readable codes on the tubes, AND the integration
  of a human-readable code for use in scientific studies and experiments meets requirements on a particularly broad level
  and enables highly professional work. The production and delivery of these human-readable codes in an individual format,
  specially set up for the purposes of BBD, offers maximum flexibility and is highly appreciated.
• High reading quality of the codes – important for stable processes and secure sample management.

High innovative strength, also in the field of sustainability

• Collaboration in the current pilot project for the use of recycled racks is gladly and sustainably supported.

Excellent support provided by LVL technologies

• Excellent accessibility, high customer friendliness and expertise of LVL employees.

Dr. Heidi Altmann
Spokesperson of the BioBank Dresden
at the University Hospital Dresden

Tobias Haessner
LVL technologies GmbH & Co. KG
T +49 7951 95613-45
M +49 175 7283454

Webseite
https://tu-dresden.de/med/mf/forschung-internationales/forschungsunterstuetzung/biobank-dresden

Infofilm
https://videocampus.sachsen.de/video/infofilm-biobank-dresden/4330a6817af71910c1251b462e0ae680

Publication on technical details and validation data
Next Generation Biobanking: Employing a Robotic System for
Automated Mononuclear Cell Isolation
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/bio.2021.0181