Biocomputing for Biobanks: Workflow and Information Management Systems for Biobanks

Abstract

Information management systems for biobanks have grown and changed over the past 20 years. The critical need for accurate, timely, and complete information about the valuable samples stored in our biobanks continues. Without ready access to this metadata, translational medicine progress will be slowed. While a consensus exists regarding the importance of the Biobank Information Management System (BIMS), there continues to be some confusion and wariness about the size and scope of such a system. Biobank managers are undecided about what data is critical and where the data should reside. Organizations that house biobanks have conflicting priorities regarding cost containment, security, privacy, and informatics control. In the end, the dizzying array of options, programs, regulations, standards, conventions, and best practices can lead to a very unsettling approach to information management. In this chapter, we will strive to make our way through this maze and offer some practical advice on the selection, configuration, and use of a BIMS.