The BioBIRD is a Belgian research collaboration between the different local biobanks at the individual Participating Sites with the aim to collect a variety of patient samples and associated metadata. This virtual biobank will be used to advance IBD research. The basic assumption to join BioBIRD is that the Investigators of each individual Participating Site are BIRD members and PIs of human biosample collections at the individual Participating Site.
BioBIRD Partcipating Sites will share individual pseudonymised patient data in the virtual database through a (e)CRF (organised by BIRD) with the intention of sharing and processing patient samples, as well as analysing data jointly to further unravel the disease heterogeneity in IBD. Only the individual Participating Site will have access to the non-pseudonymised medical and the personal data of its patients.
The use of the individual Participating Site’s data and samples for future (not yet defined) research projects shall be subject to the approval of the BioBIRD Steering Committee and the approval by the individual Participating Site, as defined below. This is described in the agreement between BIRD and the Participating Site.
Already 8 centers have signed up to collect uniform samples of a cohort of new patients, of patients naïve for biologicals and of post-op patients. A paediatric cohort will also be included. The extensive sample collection will comprise endoscopic biopsies/resection specimens, blood/PBMCs and fecal samples.
For more information, contact the BIRD office.
