The Tissue Bank: New Light for RD Prevention

The Tissue Bank: New Light for Prevention of Rare Disorders

TFRD conducted a seminar on “The Future for Tissue Bank of Rare Disorders and Genetic Diseases” in efforts to enhance diagnosis, treatment and research of rare diseases on July 6. The tissue bank, a biological database currently in a evaluation phase, will provide human DNA, cell and tissue samples of patients and their family as a service to scientific and medical communities conducting research on accurate diagnosis, effective treatments and preventive strategies for rare disorders. 

The seminar, attended by neurologists, genetic professionals and research fellows of Bureau of Medical Affairs at Department of Health, is a preliminary discussion on the feasibility and possibility of the establishment of a tissue bank for rare diseases in Taiwan. 

In the post genomic era, there is an immediate need for a disease-oriented database integrated in Taiwan, with an aim of finding out more about the complex links between human genes and health. “This dynamic resource is a repository for managed collections of biological samples for academic and clinical purposes.” said the president of TFRD and the co-host, Dr. Yuan-Tsong Chen, “It will become the steadfast cornerstone for future research development of inherited diseases.” Dr. Chen, professor director at Academia Sinica added, as the participants generally agreed on the importance and promising future of the tissue bank. 

The participants reached a consensus that the regulations and ethical issues relating to tissue banking activities must be given extra caution to refine and mature its implement and the operation system. In addition, TFRD brought to discussion on the function, direction and technical issues of the bank, as well as on the target population it would serve. 

Dr. Chen-Yang Shen, who is in charge of genomic medicine for Taiwan Biobank, was invited to give an address on “The Mapping of Taiwan Biobank” as a reference for the tissue bank. Taiwan Biobank is developed towards discovering the interaction of genetic and environmental factors causing common chronic diseases affected people in Taiwan, in order to ultimately safeguard the health of our countrymen. Dr. Shen also gave his word to help TFRD with their technical experience concerning the bank. 

Kuan-Ju Chen, the deputy executive director of TFRD, briefed on “Overview on Overseas Tissue Banks of Rare Disorders and Genetic Diseases”, illustrating several operating international programs, such as EuroBioBank and GA BioBank, by which a critical mass of gene sample collections has been built up to facilitate studies on rare diseases. 

Although this mechanism of innovation has to go through enormous details from the scratch, the vice chairperson of TFRD, Prof. Tseng said, “The initiative in building the tissue bank would nonetheless lead to unprecedented prospect on rare disorder prevention.” 

In regard to the administrative approach of the tissue bank, according to the vice president, TFRD will assess whether opening the project for public application, or committing it to a professionally sound institute with higher credibility by contract. 

The project of tissue bank has to undergo rigorous evaluation and consultation at all levels to ensure that it will be carried out in a most befitting form that profits all.