The Central Interdisciplinary Biospecimen Bank (iBioTUM) serves current and future medical research through the standardized and quality-controlled collection, storage and provision of liquid and solid human biospecimens as well as the associated data and datasets. The goal of medical research is to better understand causes of diseases and to diagnose diseases more reliable and faster, for example, to prevent their outbreak or to treat them more targeted and effective if they do occur.

The management team of iBioTUM consists of staff members of the participating institutes who are themselves active in translational research.

The iBioTUM conducts all its activities and grants access to as well as scientific. Use of human biospecimens and associated data always within the framework of German law and in compliance with the ethical principles to be followed. In essence, the aim is to uphold the dignity and human rights of each individual, including personal liberties. In addition, the right of donors - in this case, probands and patients - to protection of their privacy and confidential handling of their data is paramount.

Furthermore, iBioTUM is keen to minimize potential risks for donors and their family members. This includes possible conclusions that can be drawn from scientific and/or genetic research results about certain ethnic or other population groups.

The iBioTUM is guided by the"OECD Guidelines on Human Biobanks and Genetic Research Databases" from 2009 and has established rules and standardized instructions for action on this basis. These concern the acquisition, collection, labeling, recording, processing, storage, traceability, delivery, use and utilization of biospecimens and associated data.

But also the procedure for the destruction of biospecimens and the deletion of associated data and information in case of revocation of consent by donors is clearly regulated in these instructions. In this way, iBioTUM ensures transparent and responsible handling of the valuable resources entrusted to us.

IBioTUM commits itself and its users to make public all newly gained scientifically relevant knowledge, as long as this does not violate the above principles. In addition, iBioTUM undertakes to inform the public about the extent and nature of the biospecimens collected and the research projects supported with them.

The iBioTUM consists of five supporting pillars:

• Institutional IT infrastructure
• central management, quality management and administration
• central management of tissue biospecimens
• central management of liquid biospecimens
• Integration of subunits (the listing of subunits is always updated and published in the internal area of the faculty).

Our goals and tasks

The iBioTUM is at the service of medical research by supporting the systematic and quality-controlled collection, storage and provision of liquid and solid human biospecimens and related data. In doing so, it integrates suitable, already existing biospecimen and data collections of the Faculty of Medicine and the Klinikum rechts der Isar of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and is also accessible to other TUM institutions.

These biospecimens and associated data are made available by iBioTUM, after registration, unique labeling and pseudonymization, to all scientists, researchers and physicians within and outside the Klinikum rechts der Isar and the Technische Universität München. This is done upon request and in compliance with the relevant regulations for medical research purposes. As a crucial component of the networks in the field of scientific and clinical research established in Munich in recent years and to be further expanded in the future, the iBioTUM is intended to contribute in particular to the networking of scientific activities at local, national and international level, as well as to the exchange and dissemination of new, interdisciplinary findings.

With these goals and tasks, the iBioTUM is to strengthen translational research, improve health care and develop new approaches for the diagnosis and therapy of various diseases, ultimately opening up new fields of medical research. In addition, the iBioTUM aims to strengthen the reputation of the Faculty of Medicine, the Klinikum rechts der Isar and the Technical University of Munich, as well as the medical scientists conducting research there.

The iBioTUM is guided by international standards (e.g.: OECD, ISBER, SPREC, BBMRI-ERIC). These standards apply across all faculties and are anchored in the iBioTUM's usage regulations.