Service functions

In Sweden, a national service and collaboration structure exist within the Swedish biobank sector and the national infrastructure that is Biobank Sweden. On this page, we have listed several important service functions for anyone who wants to include biobank samples in their research.

When it comes to research, there are several support functions that can help you. These functions can guide you regarding questions related to access to samples, collection of samples or other inquires.

Biobank Coordinator

The Swedish regions have all chosen to delegate the responsibility for coordination of the principal’s biobank to a physical person called ‘biobank coordinator’. The Biobank Coordinator can be found within each region and offers researchers and companies regulatory guidance in regard to the Swedish Biobank Act, biobank applications and biobank services.

Please note, if the research regards a clinical trial or performance study you should first contact a Regional Biobank Centre (RBC), more information can be found below.

Primarily, you should always contact the biobank coordinator of the region where the Principal Investigator resides. This regards all biobank matters, such as access to stored samples from healthcare, questions about research samples or application forms etc.

The Biobank Coordinator can often provide regulatory support even at an early stage, before an application of ethical approval is submitted. This support includes guidance regarding how to design the Research participant information/subject information   for parts relating to the Swedish Biobank Act, which can be useful before such details is sent to the Swedish Ethical Review Authority for review.

Operative biobank service for research

In most regions, you can find support regarding study design, practical handling of samples i.e. collection of samples, sampling, storing of samples, traceability and retrieval of samples as well as IT-support for sample collections.

If a region does not have a particular entry point for operative biobank service, the Biobank Coordinator in each region is the primary contact.

The Network for Study Coordinators for clinical pathology

All Swedish regions have a Study Coordinator at the pathology department who serves as the point of contact for questions and inquiries regarding access to tissue samples for research.

Sample Service Coordinator (in Swedish ’PSK’)

Sample Service Coordinators are located at the university hospitals/universities offering additional biobank services. The Sample Service Coordinator offers coordinated support and guidance when planning for/starting-up research studies which collect samples from different regions in Sweden. An example of this is the nationally implemented model for healthcare integrated biobanking, where samples are collected locally at different hospitals for various national research projects.

Regional Biobank Centre (RBC)

In each healthcare region in Sweden there is a Regional Biobank Centre, there are 6 centres in total. An RBC is a service and competence centre which offers guidance and support to the regions’ biobanks and Biobank Coordinators as well as healthcare providers, researchers, pharmacy companies and the general public regarding questions relating to the Swedish Biobank Act.

The RBC reviews applications regarding clinical trials and performance studies that involves biobank samples. The RBC is authorized by all regions to leave remarks as part of the reviewing process which is done in parallel to the regular biobank application.  

Biobank Sweden

The national infrastructure Biobank Sweden ensures national coordination within the Swedish biobanking landscape to support both healthcare and research. If you have any questions about the Swedish Biobank Act or any national document regarding biobank samples you can contact Biobank Sweden for inquiries.

Learn more about Biobank Sweden

Contact details to our different service functions can be found on our contact page or in our digital Map of Services.