Specimen requests

You are planning for the first time the collection of samples in a prospective cohort or the usage of biobanked samples for research purposes? You have questions regarding ethics and biobanking (for examples usage of biobank or study specific informed consent)?

As of now there is the possibility to informally discuss these questions with representatives of the ethics committee and Biobank Graz during virtual meetings.

All research projects will be carried out under ethically correct framework conditions and therefore with a positive ethical approval of the ethics committee of the Medical University of Graz. Biobank Graz has set up a study and project service in order to support all researchers in collecting and preparing the ethics applications and all related documentation.

• Registration (only for people outside Med Uni Graz or University Hospital Graz): External researchers who would like to obtain access to material/data for the first time must fill out the registration form
• Project request: The researcher sends the project request to the Project Management Team. After the project request has been submitted, Biobank Graz examines the feasibility of the project and checks whether the necessary specimens and data are available.

• Further procedure: With the help of a study protocol, the project is clearly described, the study cohorts are defined, other steps that are required are identified and an initial cost estimate is prepared.
• Biobank representative: Biobank representatives evaluate the submitted project applications.
• Execution: Before specimens/data are distributed to the researchers, the cooperation agreement must be signed and proof must be presented of a positive decision from the Med Uni Graz Ethics Committee.