Sub-Saharan centralized biorepository for genetic and genomic research

Gasmelseed, Nagla; Elsir, Afrah Awad; DeBlasio, Pasquale; Biunno, Ida

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2010.07.054

Cited by 8 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Central to this project is the establishment of biobanks in Africa which will store and make available DNA, tissue samples and medical information to researchers. This will not only improve the infrastructure and promote research in Africa, but may also lead to increased collaborations both within Africa and across the world [2]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges in biobank governance in Sub-Saharan Africa

Staunton

Moodley

2013

BMC Med Ethics

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BackgroundBiological sample and data transfer within and out of Africa is steeped in controversy With the H3Africa project now aiming to establish biobanks in Africa, it is essential that there are ethical and legal governance structures in place to oversee the operation of these biobanks. Such governance is essential to ensuring that donors are protected, that cultural perspectives are respected and that researchers have a ready availability of ethically sourced biological samples.MethodsA literature review of all legislation, regulations, guidelines and standard operating procedures on informed consent, confidentiality and the transfer of biological samples amongst countries in Sub-Saharan Africa was conducted. In addition, an examination of the websites of departments of health and national ethics committees was performed. Researchers and research ethics scholars in the field in various African countries were contacted for assistance. A literature review of all studies examining participants views on issues related to biobanking in Africa was carried out and five separate studies were found.ResultsIt was found that biobanking guidelines differ substantially across Sub-Saharan Africa regarding biobanking and often conflicted across borders. This has the potential to negatively impact collaboration. Furthermore, the guidelines in place often do not recognise the ethical difficulties arising from the transfer of biological samples and are unsuitable to regulate biobanks. Additionally, there is insufficient research into the views of research participants and stakeholders on the use of biological /samples.ConclusionCollaboration is necessary to ensure the success of biobanking projects in Africa. To achieve this, there should be some harmonization of guidelines across Africa which would aid in transferring biological samples across borders. These guidelines should reflect the unique ethical issues arising out of the storage and secondary uses of biological samples. Finally, further research into the views of research participants is necessary. Such studies should aid in the drafting of any new harmonization guidelines.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges in biobank governance in Sub-Saharan Africa

Staunton

Moodley

2013

BMC Med Ethics

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“…The National Cancer Institute has described a biorepository as human specimen collection including relevant data for the purpose of research, and subject to relevant processes, ethics and policies [116, 117]. Despite the gamut of biorepositories established in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia [118–120], very few such biobanks have been established in sub-Saharan Africa [121]. Most biorepositories in Africa are established within investigator's research group and most are yet to be standardized and centralized.…”

Section: Challenges and Prospects Of Pca Proteomics Biomarker Discovementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most biorepositories in Africa are established within investigator's research group and most are yet to be standardized and centralized. Several challenges have plagued biorepository development and regulation in sub-Saharan Africa [121–124], albeit modest progress has been made in a few sub-Saharan African countries. Notably, the emergence of the NIH and Wellcome Trust-funded H3Africa consortium, has improved the centralization and standardization of biospecimen collection in Africa [124].…”

Section: Challenges and Prospects Of Pca Proteomics Biomarker Discovementioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging proteomics biomarkers and prostate cancer burden in Africa

et al. 2017

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Various biomarkers have emerged via high throughput omics-based approaches for use in diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of prostate cancer. Many of these have yet to be demonstrated as having value in routine clinical practice. Moreover, there is a dearth of information on validation of these emerging prostate biomarkers within African cohorts, despite the huge burden and aggressiveness of prostate cancer in men of African descent. This review focusses of the global landmark achievements in prostate cancer proteomics biomarker discovery and the potential for clinical implementation of these biomarkers in Africa. Biomarker validation processes at the preclinical, translational and clinical research level are discussed here, as are the challenges and prospects for the evaluation and use of novel proteomic prostate cancer biomarkers.

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“…Political, social, economic and organizational factors largely explain the limited number of biobank initiatives in Africa compared to other continents [39]. Nevertheless two interesting projects in Africa deserve mention, together with another population genomics resource in Israel closely situated to Africa.…”

Section: Biobanks and Africa – What Next?mentioning

confidence: 99%