Publication date:  December 2011        Review date: December 2013

Taking part in biobanking involves donating samples of blood, tissue, fat and other body fluids which are used in research to improve our understanding of health and disease. Samples may be stored for long periods of time, depending on the study, so that long term future research can be carried out. This new Healthtalkonline section on Experiences of Biobanking Projects includes interviews with 21 people from different backgrounds discussing what it is like to be involved in biobanking, the reasons they took part, the information they needed and the concerns they had. There are accounts from healthy volunteers, pregnant women, people with health conditions, and those who chose not to take part. Browse through the ‘Full list of topics’ on the left side of the screen or select from the key topics below.