The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has established the country’s first diabetes biobank in Chennai in collaboration with the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF), which is a collection of population-based biological samples.

The biobank established at MDRF aims to collect, process, store, and distribute biological samples to support scientific studies with the permission of ICMR.

The process of establishing the biobank began almost two years ago. A paper published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research has detailed the description and objectives of the biobank.

Why Biobanks are Important?

In biomedical research, biobanks are crucial. They involve collecting, processing, storing, and distributing biospecimens to support scientific research. The diabetes biobank can help identify new biomarkers for early diagnosis and personalized treatment strategies.