Services

Biobanco-iMM CAML has the most up-to-date sample management and clinical information software system, adapted according to the specifics of each collection of biological samples.

It is an infrastructure accessible to all researchers, national and international, and requests for the use of samples undergo a rigorous process of ethical and scientific evaluation.

Biobanco-iMM CAML is authorized by the Ethics Committee of the Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte (CHULN) to collect and store biological samples for research purposes and by the National Data Protection Commission for the collection of clinical information.

Biobanco-iMM CAML provides different services for the scientific community, which include:

• Nucleic Acids Extraction (DNA and RNA) from blood, tissues and cells.
  – DNA/RNA extraction from blood, cells or frozen tissue using QIAGEN QIAcube.
• Isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).
  – Manual isolation by traditional Ficoll gradient or with cell separation tubes.
  – Isolation using cell preparation tubes (CPT).
• Primary cell culture.
  – Culture of primary cell lines including fibroblast culture from human skin biopsies.
• Sample processing in accordance with good laboratory practices (GLP) and standard operating procedures.
  – Use of validated processing for handling blood, plasma, serum, tissue, urine, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and other tissues such as bone.
• Support in the submission of projects to the ethics committee.
• Management of databases and clinical questionnaires through specific LIMS software (Laboratory Information Management System).
• Storage of samples.
  – Storage for all types of samples: controlled environment, +4°C, -20°C, -80°C, -196°C (Liquid nitrogen).
  – Cryopreservation with controlled freezing rate.

Last updated: July 4, 2022