Semi-automated biobank sample processing with a 384 high density sample tube robot used in cancer and cardiovascular studies.

In the postgenomic era, it has become evident that analysis of genetic and protein expression changes alone is not sufficient to understand most disease processes in e.g. cardiovascular and cancer disease. Biobanking has been identified as an important area for development and discovery of better diagnostic tools and new treatment modalities. Biobanks are developed in order to integrate the collection of clinical samples from both healthy individuals and patients and provide valuable information that will make possible improved patient care. Modern healthcare developments are intimately linked to information based on studies of patient samples from biobank archives in large scale studies. Today biobanks form important national, as well as international, networks that share and combine global resources.