Arctic Biobank

Arctic Biobank – University of Oulu was established in 2020 to host large population-based sample collections from Northern Finland. It is a licensed biobank governed by the Biobank Act (688/2021).

Biological samples and relating data collected before 2013 in Northern Finland Birth Cohorts – Research program for health and well-being can be requested from Arctic Biobank.

Arctic Biobank aims to promote research in health and well-being, and in medicine and life sciences. It provides samples and data for high-quality research projects aimed at elucidating the causes of disease and the impact of genetics, environment, and lifestyles on their onset.

Arctic Biobank

Arctic Biobank hosts samples and data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohorts data collections (NFBC1966 and NFBC1986), which have been followed on a regular basis. In addition, samples and data from two cohorts on aging populations with individuals born in 1935 (Oulu1935) and 1945 (Oulu1945) are included.

Samples collected before 2013 have been transferred to Arctic Biobank together with related data. Cohort participants have been notified of the transfers in person by a letter during the fall of 2020, spring of 2021 and winter of 2022. Material requests for Arctic Biobank can be done directly to the biobank or via the national Fingenious portal.

Arctic Biobank material collections

Information for researchers

Arctic Biobank aims to promote research in health and well-being, and in medicine and life sciences. It provides samples and data for high-quality research projects aimed at elucidating the causes of disease and the impact of genetics, environment and lifestyles on their onset. The results of the research will help prevent disease and develop safer, more effective and individualized treatments.

Arctic Biobank - material request and use of data

Biobank research projects and publications

Research projects

Descriptions of research projects using samples and data from Arctic Biobank are published after the material transfer agreement has been signed.

Name of the project	Description of the project
FinnGen: Combining genetic and electronic health record data to improve drug discovery (2021)	FinnGen is one of the very first personalized medicine projects at this scale and the public-private collaborative nature of the project is exceptional compared to many ongoing studies. FinnGen study launched in Finland in the autumn of 2017 is a unique study that combines genome information with digital health care data. The FinnGen study is an unprecedented global research project representing one of the largest studies of this type. Project aims to improve human health through genetic research, and ultimately identify new therapeutic targets and diagnostics for treating numerous diseases. The collaborative nature of the project is exceptional compare to many ongoing studies, and all the partners are working closely together to ensure appropriate transparency, data security and ownership. FinnGen brings together Finnish universities, hospitals and hospital districts, THL, biobanks, international pharmaceutical companies and, hopefully hundreds of thousands of Finns. Collaboration is the key to achieving breakthroughs in disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Read more from the FinnGen project's web pages
Early effects of the C9orf72 repeat expansion (2022)	This study aims at examining the utility of the genetic marker (SNP rs139185008) in identifying the C9orf72 repeat expansion. We also evaluate possible associations between the C9orf72 repeat expansion carriership and early learning difficulties, psychiatric symptoms and disorders and other illnesses manifesting in early childhood or adolescence. (Johanna Krüger, MD, PhD, University of Oulu)
Circulating ncRNAs as biomarkers in cardiovascular diseases (2023)	Cardiovascular pathologies induce accumulation of extracellular matrix in the heart, which results in increased ventricular stiffness and disrupts the normal electrical cell-to-cell coupling and impulse conduction predisposing to arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Currently, there are no useful biomarkers for detecting myocardial fibrosis and no specific therapies exist for treatment of cardiac fibrosis. Our aim is to identify biomarkers of fibrosis and non-coding RNAs dysregulated in fibrotic hearts. Understanding the signaling mechanisms involved in cardiac fibrosis may provide new diagnostic opportunities and has potential to provide novel targets for therapy of cardiac fibrosis. More info available from https://www.oulu.fi/en/projects/genetic-causes-and-molecular-mechanisms-myocardial-fibrosis. (Risto Kerkelä, Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, University of Oulu)

Publications

2024

Eklund N, Pätsi S-M, Lehtiniemi H, et al. Connecting cohorts of Finnish biobanks creates a research resource for the study of healthy ageing. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. 2024;0(0). doi:10.1177/14034948241228482

Arctic Biobank

Arctic Biobank

Arctic Biobank material collections

Information for researchers

Arctic Biobank - material request and use of data

Biobank research projects and publications

Biobank research projects and publications

Research projects

Publications

Biobank steering group and scientific committee

Arctic Biobank steering group and scientific committee

Communication and feedback

Co-operation

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