A biobank stores blood and other human samples—like urine, tissue, or DNA—along with coded health information to help researchers better understand, prevent, and treat diseases.

Samples can include blood, leftover tissue from surgery, urine, saliva, or similar materials. They are securely labeled with a code (not your name) and stored for approved research.

Approved academic, nonprofit, and commercial researchers (including pharmaceutical and biotech companies) may use de-identified samples and data to discover disease causes, new tests, and potential treatments.

Your name and contact details are never shared. All data are stored with multi-layer security and only coded information is provided to researchers to protect your identity

You will not receive direct medical benefit or financial compensation. However, your participation may help develop future diagnostics and therapies that benefit others.

No extra medical procedures are required beyond routine care. If blood is collected, you may feel mild, brief discomfort similar to a normal blood draw.

Participation is completely voluntary. You may withdraw at any time in writing without affecting your medical care. Samples already analyzed or fully anonymized may not be retrievable.

You generally will not receive research results. If a finding is medically important and actionable, you or your doctor may be notified. You may also be contacted for future studies, but you can opt out.

Any revenue from research partnerships supports the biobank’s mission and related research programs. All use of your samples is reviewed and approved to ensure ethical standard.