HIV HGM biobank as a research platform for paediatric infectious diseases and COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Aim The initial cases of COVID-19 appeared in December 2019 and Spain was one of the most affected countries during the first wave (March to June). Since then, HIV HGM BioBank has been restructured as an established Paediatrics and Adults HIV_COVID-19 BioBank that aims at the long-term storage of samples obtained from not only HIV-1, but also from COVID-19 patients and HIV-1_COVID-19 coinfected patients. Methods HIV HGM BioBank holds high quality biological samples from newborns, children, adolescents and adults with their associated clinical data. Research groups trying to establish large networks focused on research on specific clinical problems in epidemiology, biology, routes of transmission and therapies, are potential users of the clinical samples and of associated data of HIV-1_COVID-19 HGM BioBank. Results The HIV HGM BioBank is an academic and ethical enterprise complying with all the legal regulatory rules to provide service to the society. HIV_COVID-19 HGM BioBank has been repurposed to offer an important resource for global research of COVID-19 in newborns, children, adolescents, adults and elders to study the biological effect of the pandemic. Conclusion Herein, we present a description of how HIV HGM BioBank has rapidly become an indispensable structure in modern biomedical research, including COVID-19 research.

Biobanking in times of crisis – The COVID-19 Autopsy and Biosample Registry Baden-Wuerttemberg

“…This includes rapid and safe collection as well as sharing of subsequent analysis of high-quality biosamples and associated data to globally support research. Consequently, COVID-19-related biospecimens were collected worldwide, mostly focusing on the collection of liquid samples such as blood, sputum and urine [12] , [13] , [14] . However, especially tissue samples are essential for improving the understanding of the pathophysiology of COVID-19 for clinical management and vaccine application.…”