Qatar Biobank, a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, participated in a prestigious biobanking academic course at the Integrated BioBank of Luxembourg (IBBL) Institute.
Organised with the University of Luxembourg and endorsed by the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories, the learning course encouraged the exchange of knowledge and skills across different groups involved in the conservation, storage and study of biospeciemen. It covered technical, scientific, legal and ethical aspects of human and environmental biobanking.
Dr Nahla al-Afifi, scientific and education manager at Qatar Biobank, completed the highly specialised course along with lab supervisor, Siham al-Yafei, and senior lab technologist, Eiman al-Khayat, covering technical, scientific, legal and ethical aspects of human and
environmental biobanking.
Afifi said: “As we embark on the second phase of Qatar Biobank, courses such as these provide us with the opportunity to learn about international best practices and the future of biobanking. We then ensure that the knowledge is transferred to our staff.”
Home to local, regional and international scientists, Qatar Biobank aims to nurture the local medical research culture and ensure that their quality of standards adhere to international best practices.
Other areas covered in the professional development course included biobank landscape, scientific collections and application methods together with practical sessions in IBBL’s laboratories and examples of fully functional biobanks.
Qatar Biobank supports QF’s mission to enhance national innovation and technology through medical research regarding prevalent health issues in Qatar. Through its collection of samples and information on the health and lifestyles of large numbers of the national population, Qatar Biobank is making vital medical research possible for scientists in Qatar,
the region, and the world.
