Cancer oriented biobanks: a comprehensive review

Biobanks provide a platform for innovative biomedical research and has improvised translational and personalized medicine to a great extent. Time 2009 published “10 ideas changing the world right now” with biobanks on the list emphasizing its role in discovery and development of new therapeutic drugs. They form the cornerstone, providing resources for future investigations and biomarker discovery to understand the effects of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors on human morbidity, mortality and health. The aim of this review paper is to understand the role of biobanking in cancer research, the challenges faced and strategies to overcome these, for long term and sustainable research in the field of oncology