Biobanking: A foundation of life-science research and advancement

Abstract

As a foundation of life-science research and advancement, biobanking has played a critical role and made tremendous contributions to healthcare, biotechnology, disease control and prevention, as well as bio-conservation for the benefit of all humankind. This paper starts with a brief introduction of basic concepts, history, classification, and significance of biobanking, followed by a discussion on cryobiology fundamentals and key challenges faced by cryopreservation in biobanking. A special case discussion on the cryopreservation and biobanking of pathogenic microorganisms to meet both the unmet needs for biomedical research and the urgent demand for developing countermeasures against the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is highlighted with insightful recommendations for future studies.

Keywords

• Biobanking
• Cryobiology
• Cryopreservation
• Pathogenic microorganisms
• COVID-19 pandemic