Project Outline
Introduction
The mission of the six National Research Centers for Advanced and Specialized Medical Care is to research and cure diseases that have a significant impact on national health.
Our staff strives constantly to provide patients with medical care of the highest quality in relation to each disease. In addition, we are working to develop new diagnostics, treatments and preventive measures, especially for diseases that are currently difficult to diagnose and treat. However, in order to make such medical progress, NCBN research requires blood, fluids, or tissues collected during routine health checks, diagnostic assays, and surgeries.
Outcomes from this research have the potential to cure not only people currently suffering from diseases under investigation, but also those of future generations.
The following document explains maintenance procedures for storage of human biological materials, such as blood, urine, and tissue. We greatly appreciate your support for the mission of the NC, to achieve medical breakthroughs.
Purpose
Etiologies and clinical courses of many common diseases (cancer and lifestyle-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, dementia, etc.) are very complicated, and an integrated research approach is needed in order to overcome them. To develop effective treatments for currently incurable diseases, it is necessary to develop basic and clinical research from surveys of actual patient sequelae.
Thus, collected human biological samples for research (bioresources) have contributed to develop cutting-edge technologies for several decades. In recent years, technical innovations of genomic and regenerative medicine have revolutionized biomedical research. Bioresource banks are critically important in order for developed countries to remain competitive.
Although Japan remains technically more advanced than other developed countries in processing technology for cell lines such as induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, and for sophisticated medical information and tracking systems, it has not adequately promoted biobank establishment.
Six National Centers in Japan conduct specialized medical research under the coordination of the National Center Biobank Network (NCBN) and develop therapeutics to improve and protect national health. They actively collaborate to establish a shared biobank and are developing a structure to facilitate industry-academia-government cooperation regarding bioresources through broad joint research. NCBN strives to promote the success of the National Centers and to create bright future for health and human life.
