Step 1 Preliminary inquiry of samples and data
FINGENIOUSTM is a service administered by
the Biobank Cooperative Finland (FINBB), through which you can make a
preliminary inquiry or a request for samples to any of the six Finnish hospital
biobanks. If you wish, you can reach all six hospital biobanks with one
application. The service includes Auria Biopankki, Helsinki Biobank, Biobank of
Eastern Finland, Biobank of Central Finland, Borealis Biobank in Northern
Finland and Biobank of Tampere.
In the preliminary inquiry phase, it is confirmed
whether the biobank can provide you the
samples and/or associated data needed in your research. You will receive
reply to the inquiry in 1-3 weeks. Please note that Helsinki biobank's reply to
the Preliminary Request is a mandatory annex to the HUS's Ethics Committee
Opinion.
In order to submit a new preliminary inquiry, you must
first register with FINGENIOUSTM.
FINGENIOUSTM does not work with Internet
Explorer. Please choose Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox browser to access FINGENIOUSTM
electronic service.
Go to FINGENIOUSTM here.
The process
for acquiring samples and associated data from Helsinki Biobank.
Step 2 Ethical review
All studies requiring materials from Helsinki Biobank must undergo an
ethical review before the submission of a
sample request.
Please use the HUS' “Tutkijan Työpöytä" platform for submitting an
electronic application to the HUS Ethics Committees. If your research has
received a favorable opinion from another Ethics or Scientific ethics
Committee, a second opinion is not necessary. Helsinki Biobank's statement on
the availability of samples (see step 1) is a mandatory annex to the
application for an ethical review. You can find more instructions and a list of
required documents here.
The “Tutkijan Työpöytä"-platform requires a Finnish ID number for
the user to be able to log in. If your research group has no Finnish
collaborators, Helsinki Biobank's personnel will fill in the form for you.
The ethical review takes approximately one month to be completed. You
can send your application concerning biobank research to anyone of the Ethics
Committees. Depending on the funding sources and the nature of the study, there
may be a fee for the ethical review (STM lausuntomaksuasetus 840/2010).
GO TO "TUTKIJAN TYÖPÖYTÄ" https://tutkija.hus.fi
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Step 3 Sample request
FINGENIOUSTM is a service administered by
the Biobank Cooperative Finland (FINBB), through which you can make a
preliminary inquiry or a request for samples to any of the six Finnish hospital
biobanks. If you wish, you can reach all six hospital biobanks with one application.
The service includes Auria Biopankki, Helsinki Biobank, Biobank of Eastern
Finland, Biobank of Central Finland, Borealis Biobank in Northern Finland and
Biobank of Tampere.
Once you have completed
the preliminary inquiry via FINGENIOUSTM and received a favorable opinion from
the Ethics Committee to conduct your research, you can submit a request for
samples and data to Helsinki Biobank.
FINGENIOUSTM does not work with Internet
Explorer. Please choose Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox browser to access FINGENIOUSTM.
Go to FINGENIOUSTM here.
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Step 4: Final decision, MTA and the delivery of samples and data
The final decision of approval is made by the Medical
Director of HUS based on the recommendation of Helsinki Biobank. Upon the final
approval of your sample request, the Materials Transfer Agreement (MTA) will be
provided to you. This agreement includes also a description of costs. The
principal investigator and a representative of his/her back organization shall
sign the MTA before the delivery of samples and/or data. The back organization
can be a Finnish or an international research institute or company.
The time for completion of the process and material
dispatch depends on the type and quantity of the samples requested, and on the
capabilities of the research team, if necessary, to assist with clinical
expertise.
Please note that although the study has a valid decision and an MTA,
Helsinki Biobank cannot guarantee the delivery of samples. The final selection
of samples will always be done in collaboration with clinicians, taking into
account the primary need for clinical use of the samples, the quality, size or
staining of the samples, and the patient's medical history and other possible
exclusion criteria.
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Step 5: Return of Data
Helsinki Biobank requires that
the raw data /results obtained
from the analyses shall be returned to the biobank, to be later available to other projects. The format and timetable
for data return will be specified in the MTA. Depending on the nature of the study, we may
agree on forwarding the raw data only after you have published the
results.
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