Presentation

The National DNA Bank (NDNAB), created in 2004 by Genoma España foundation, is a technological platform supporting biomedical research with the aim of promoting genomic research in Spain. The NDNAB has become a national and international reference biobank for extraction, storage and management of biological samples; not only for its facilities and technical capacities but also for the unique and singular sample collections that offers to the scientific community. Until 2015 the NDNAB has distributed more than 80.000 samples among 200 projects. For the collection of samples and data the biobank collaborates with more than 60 associated centers distributed within all the country including hospitals, regional transfusion centers, blood banks, foundations, universities and other public institutions.

The management model of the NDNAB is certified in compliance with the Quality Standard ISO 9001.

Background

The NDNAB was created in 2004, March the 16th, by a collaboration agreement between Genoma España Foundation, the Ministry of Health of Castilla y León and the University of Salamanca. During the first stage the NDNAB created a collection of samples, as well as its associated data regarding health and life habits, representative of the healthy population living in Spain.
In February 2006 the NDNAB obtained, after an external audit, the certification which ensures that the established Quality Management System (QMS) complies with the UNE-EN-ISO 9001:2000 standard as a basic strategy to improve both the user’s and other parties satisfaction, guaranteeing the  fulfilment of all the requirements.
In October 2006, based on an Expansion Call promoted by “Genome Spain Foundation”, four new nodes were added to the NDNAB structure. These nodes are in charge of collecting DNA samples from patients diagnosed with some of the most prevalent diseases in Spain (Cardiovascular, Metabolic, Neuropsychiatric and Oncological diseases) in order to improve the knowledge of the DNA haploid map of the Spanish population as well as the predisposition to suffer from these prevalent diseases.  In October 2009 the financing of these nodes ends and they disappeared from the NDNB structure.
In October 2009, the NDNAB became part of the Biobank Network of the Health Institute Carlos III. Currently, the director of the NDNAB is part of the board committee of this Biobank Network and he also coordinates three work groups.
In October 2010, the Health Institute Carlos III, the University of Salamanca and the Ministry of Health of Castilla y León signed a new collaboration agreement to create “The National DNA Bank Network Platform”. Since the signed of this agreement the NDNAB becomes a stable structure of cooperative research assigned to the Health Institute Carlos III, depending juridically on the University of Salamanca.
The main objective of this platform is to consolidate the NDNAB as a national and international reference biobank to ensure the requirements of researchers regarding quantity and quality of the samples requested; as well as to promote both the ethical use of the samples and the participation in projects of scientific interest.
In January 2014, the NDNAB, the Bioinformatics National Institute (INB), the Proteomics Network Platform (PROTEORED), the Genotyping National Centre (CEGEN) and the National Bank of Cellular Lines (BNLC), formed the “Biomolecular and Bioinformatics Resources Platform of the Health Institute Carlos III”.

Aim

The aim of the NDNAB is to promote and facilitate the development of genetic and genomic research projects in Spain, providing the scientific community with quality biological samples and associated data, both from healthy donors and/or patients, ensuring always a rational, efficient, legal and ethical usage of the samples and of the biobank´s resources.
Therefore, scientists will be able to use these samples in order to investigate what genes influence development or protection against these diseases in the Spanish population, what diseases are influenced by the environment where the person lives and what genes influence effectiveness/resistance to specific treatments.
In addition to its role as a biobank, the NDNAB offers to the scientific community a wide range of total quality services. (For more information see section Researchers´ Zone: Services”)