International Biobanking Education

• Language: English
• Costs: 480 Euro 
• Teaching Method: 65 % lecture and 35 % group work
• Location: Medical University of Graz

• Deliver the theoretical, operating and hands-on comprehensive knowledge essential to enable the activities of emerging and established biobanks.
• Transfer best practices for biobank personnel, investigators, clinicians and interested personnel.
• Encourage exchange of knowledge and skills across different biobanking activities from biospecimen preservation and storage to science and research.
• Enhance research quality in and public awareness of biobanks.

• Definitions and types of biobanking, what and how
• Governance types and possibilities
• Biobanking ethics, privacy, informed consent and data security
• Design and services of a biobank
• Cost calculation and funding
• Quality management and process improvement
• Sample collection and processing (Fluid and Tissue)
• Sample storage and retrieval
• Biobank data systems and records management
• Guided tour Biobank Graz

• Date: 15.03.-18.03.2023
• Language: English
• ECTS: 1
• Costs: 970 Euro 
• Teaching Method: 60 % lecture and 40 % group work
• Location: Medical University of Graz

• Language: English
• Costs per Day: 270 Euro 
• Teaching Method: 60 % lecture and 40 % group work
• Location: Medical University of Graz

• Deliver theoretical, operating and practical comprehensive knowledge to enable the activities of current and emerging biobanks
• Transfer best practice principles on this topic for biobank personnel, investigators, clinicians and interested personal
• Encourage exchange of knowledge and skills across on the topic via group works and discussions

The format of this course is a mixture of presentations and group works with discussion sessions allowing participants to learn from the expert advice and the specific experience of their peers. Therefore, bring questions with you for discussion!

This one-day-course has been designed for all those who are implementing or adapting a quality management system in a biobank or want to improve their quality control and quality assurance processes. Participants will gain insight into different processes of quality measures in a biobank. Another objective is to give an overview of different standards and definitions of quality, with particular focus on the implementation of CEN/TS standards in a modern biobank.

The format of this course is a mixture of presentations and group works with discussion sessions allowing participants to learn from the expert advice and the specific experience of their peers. Therefore, bring questions with you for discussion!

Insights:

• Quality management in biobanking
• Quality assurance and quality control in biobanking
• Standards and definitions of quality
• Implementation of CEN standards in a modern biobank

This one-day-course has been designed for all those who are implementing or adapting the sample workflow of a biobank or want to advance the sample workflow through automation. Participants will gain insight into the numerous processes of a sample workflow. Objective is to give an overview of collection & storage of biological samples in a modern biobank workflow, with particular focus on handling and processing (automation/safety/documentation). Furthermore, the students will be provided with skills that will help dealing with different storage systems and retrieval of biological samples including documentation and monitoring.

The format of this course is a mixture of presentations and group works with discussion sessions allowing participants to learn from the expert advice and the specific experience of their peers. Therefore, bring questions with you for discussion!

Insights:

• Collection of biological samples in a modern biobank workflow
• Handling and processing of biological samples (automation/safety/documentation)
• Storage and retrieval of biological samples (documentation and monitoring)

This one-day-course has been designed for all those who are implementing or adapting a data management and IT system in a biobank. Participants will gain insight into functionalities of databases in general and specifically in the field of biobanking. Further objective is the introduction into the topic IT development and operation in general as well as in the field of biobanking. This module will also focus on the development of URDs for biobanking programmes so that they are operational for IT experts.

The format of this course is a mixture of presentations and group works with discussion sessions allowing participants to learn from the expert advice and the specific experience of their peers. Therefore, bring questions with you for discussion!

Insights:

• Functionalities of databases in general & in the field of biobanking
• IT development and operation in general & specifically for biobanks
• Development of URDs in general & on example of project management software of Biobank Graz

This one-day-course has been designed for all those who seek to develop a business plan and/or implement a cost calculation scheme for a biobank. Participants will gain insight into the basics of setting up a business plan: the structure of a business plan and the challenges in establishing a business plan specifically for a biobank. This module will specifically focus on the most important tools which should be included in a business plan. Furthermore, the complex requirements for cost recovery models for biobanks will be discussed and a concept of a calculation grid for biobanks will be introduced on the example of Biobank Graz. Furthermore, participants will gain insight into designing of a meaningful collection strategy, project design, monitoring and management of different types of projects. Moreover, this module will focus on defining and highlighting unique selling propositions (USPs) of biobanks, as well as the implementation of additional services.

The format of this course is a mixture of presentations and group works with discussion sessions allowing participants to learn from the expert advice and the specific experience of their peers. Therefore, bring questions with you for discussion!

Insights:

• Development of a business plan
• Tools for organisation & management of a biobank (e.g. SWOT analysis, marketing plan, stakeholder analysis…)
• Cost accounting in general and in biobanks
• Sustainability in general and for biobanks
• Designing of a collection strategy – Dos and Don’ts
• Project design, monitoring and management of research/collaborative projects
• Defining and highlighting unique selling propositions (USPs) of biobanks

• Language: English
• ECTS: 1
• Costs: 970 Euro (including scripts, coffee break)
• Costs of individual days:
• Introduction day and one additional day: 470 Euro
• Each further day: 270 Euro
• Teaching method: 60 % lecture and 40 % group work
• Location: Medical University of Graz

This is a 4-day-course whereby individual days can also be booked in combination with the introduction day (day 1).

• Language: English
• Costs of individual modules:
• Introduction day (day 1) and one additional day: 470 Euro
• Each further day: 270 Euro
• Teaching method: 60 % lecture and 40 % group work
• Location: Medical University of Graz

• Successfully form (lead) a multidisciplinary team in biobanks and biobanking-related scientific facilities
• Transfer knowledge and best practices on the individual topics, regarding both, general biobanking staff and personnel with scientific tasks
• Encourage the exchange of knowledge and skills on the topics via group work and discussion, specifically addressing the individual needs of the participants

This is a 4-day-course, although individual days can be booked in combination with the introduction day.

Insights:

• What is management
• What is a project
• What is project management
• What is leadership (responsibilities)
• What is a team, why is it important to act as a team
• Team building activities and events
• Motivating your team

Insights:

• Team Management Standards
  • How to communicate tasks
  • Define values/standards for internal and external communication
  • Communication tools and skills (which information and how)
  • Problems and mistakes
• Knowledge Management
  • Competence matrix
  • A tool used to fulfill ISO 9001:2015 requirements
  • Can be used to oversee the key positions in the team and ensure sufficient competent/trained personnel and quickly respond to personnel changes
  • Strategies for knowledge management
  • Communication and documentation (to ensure that information is not limited to single employees (find the right amount of communication and information)
• Personnel Resources
  • Enough personnel (how to calculate, …)
  • Appointments corresponding to the education and skills
• Documentation
  • How to structure large quantities of documents
  • Traceability of documents
  • Availability

Insights:

• Internal Communication
  • Can be defined in the QMS
  • Regular JF to inform the entire team
  • Adapted meeting structure to your specific needs (find the right dosage of meetings and information that needs to be exchanged)
•  External Communication (ethical and legal knowledge, trust-building, FAQs)
  • Defined communication with cooperation partners
  • Defined responsibilities
  • Patients and donors
  • Interested parties (how to handle requests, which information to provide)
  • Communication with stakeholders
•  Media
  • Communication with media (written, interviews: telephone and video)
  • How to prepare
  • Upfront communication
• Scientific Writing
  • Structure
  • Citation rules
  • What to consider (layout, rules for submission, …)

Insights:

• Research Proposals
  • What are your possibilities (what can you provide, what kind of collaboration do you need)
  • How to write a proposal
  • How to calculate a project
  • Legal and ethical limitations
  •  
• How to Manage a Project
  • Project management tools (software etc.)
  • Milestones and deliverables
  • Responsibilities
  • Reporting (EU-projects and others)

The CY-Biobank project will enable the concentration of a critical mass of experts at the CoE who will be thrilled to establishing collaborations and offering technology infrastructure and know-how to young investigators and medical doctors who are interested in pursuing innovative research projects.  Center of Excellence biobank.cy aspires to serve as an incubator of creative ideas for research based on valid and sound scientific hypotheses. At the CoE you will find postdoctoral fellows and graduate students working side by side with UCY faculty, medical doctors and other experienced researchers, pursuing projects of translational medicine, always aimed at serving the patient.

More information: https://biobank.cy

This project aims at significantly strengthening the scientific and technological capacity of the linked institutions with a principal focus on the Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU), Armenia. The aim would be to enhance the YSMU research capacity in the field of infrastructure development for clinical genetic research, in particular targeting the collection and use of biological material, and the data integration for downstream analyses in relation to chronic, non-communicable diseases such as cancer. This will be achieved by networking the excellence from three leading research-intensive expert centres: the Medical University of Graz (Med Uni Graz), Austria; the Charles University (CU), Czech Republic; and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization (IARC/WHO).

More information: https://www.arice.am

TED

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The annual TED Conference invites the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes. Their talks are then made available, free, at TED.com.

TEDx (x = independently organized event)

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people togehter to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are brande TEDx, where x = independently organized TED events. The TED Confercnce provides general guidance for the TEDx program, bud indicvidual TEDx events ar self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)

More information: www.tedxmedunigraz.com

• Karine Sargsyan (Managing Director International Biobanking and Education)
• Gabriele Hartl (Project Officer)
• Christine Mitchell (Office Management, CY-Biobank Project)
• Natalie Lanner (Project Management)
• David Karagozian (ARICE Project)
• Aren Keshishian (Student Research Assistant)