Arctic Biobank – University of Oulu Annual reports

University of Oulu has collected several extensive population survey data sets, such as the Northern Finland Birth Cohorts NFBC1966 and NFBC1986, and two cohorts from northern Finland aging individuals Oulu1935 and Oulu1945. NFBC databases provide multi-generational cohorts including data and samples from different survey time points. 

The biological samples (Table 1, Table 2) collected at different stages of the Northern Finland Cohorts and related data have been transferred to Arctic Biobank after informing the cohort participants.

Table 1

Table 2

The director of Arctic Biobank is Minna Ruddock.

The coordinator of Arctic Biobank is Maarit Kangas.

A steering group has been appointed to oversee and support Arctic Biobank activities. The tasks of the steering groups are to

• oversee the fulfillment of the obligations of the Biobank Act,
• oversee the use of funding,
• prepare and make proposals, and give statements regarding the finances and management of the Biobank, and
• nominate the members of the Scientific Committee.

The Steering group members for 2021-2024 are:

• Raisa Serpi, Northern Finland Biobank Borealis
• Markus Malmivaara, University of Oulu
• Maritta Perälä-Heape, University of Oulu
• Emma Pirilä, University of Oulu
• Anne Remes, University of Oulu
• Presenter and secretary: Minna Ruddock

Material requests for Arctic Biobank are evaluated by the Scientific committee. Other tasks of the scientific committee are to:

• promote collaboration between different research actors and
• participate in the developing of the biobank.

The Scientific committee members for 2021-2024 are:

• Katri Pylkäs, University of Oulu
• Mikko Finnilä, University of Oulu
• Laura Huilaja, University of Oulu
• Valerio Izzi, University of Oulu
• Johannes Kettunen, University of Oulu
• Johanna Krüger, University of Oulu
• Pia Nyberg, Oulu University Hospital /Biobank Borealis of Northern Finland
• Presenter: Minna Ruddock
• Secretary: Maarit Kangas

The personnel of the Infrastructure for Population studies included 17 people in 2021. They take care of the Arctic Biobank sample and data handling and administration, quality management, communication, and biobank register, data security and protection management. In addition, they have tasks in other activities of the infrastructure such as the Northern Finland Birth Cohorts Research Program for Health and Well-being and statistical teaching and services.

Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea is responsible for the guidance and supervision of biobanks in Finland. It inspected most of the Finnish biobanks in 2021. Arctic Biobank was inspected in June 2021.

The process for Arctic Biobank material request was established in 2021. In 2021 one consultation for availability and feasibility of samples was performed and it resulted in a Material request for Arctic Biobank samples and data. The public summaries are available from the web pages after the material transfer agreements between organisations are finished.

University of Oulu has renewed their web service during the 2021 with the launching timetable for January 2022. Arctic Biobank’s web page was updated as part of the renewal.

In 2021 Northern Finland Birth Cohorts and Arctic Biobank has delivered two eNewsLetters for researchers using the NFBC data. Newsletters informed about the changes in different processes and to introduce news on research projects and results.

Information on Arctic Biobank has been delivered for Northern Finland Birth Cohorts´ members via social media:

• Instagram: Pohjois-Suomen Syntymäkohortit
• Facebook: Pohjois-Suomen syntymäkohortti1986               ja Arctic Biopankki ja Pohjois-Suomen              syntymäkohortit             

Arctic Biobank has been taking part in communication activities of Finnish Biobanks – FINBB:

• Twitter: Suomen Biopankit @suomenBiopankit
• Facebook: Suomen Biopankit     

During 2021 Arctic Biobank personnel participated in two Biobank Days (Virtual event 17.6. and Biobank Day 19.11. in Helsinki) and ‘Lisää terveys- ja biolääketieteellistä tutkimusta Suomeen: Fingenious-ekosysteemitapahtuma’ (Virtual event, in Finnish 1.12.2021). FINBB arranged a joined meeting with Arctic Biobank and Biobank Borealis (21.9.2021 in Oulu).

In addition, personnel took part in many other related team days and meetings organized for example by FINBB, Fingenious ecosystem, The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, and European research infrastructure for biobanking BBMRI-ERIC.