B3Africa aims to implement a cooperation platform and technical informatics framework for biobank integration between Africa and Europe
The collaboration is standardizing the ethical and legal framework, biobank data representation, and bioinformatics pipelines for sharing data and knowledge among biobanks and enabling access for researchers from both continents.
Coordinator: Professor Erik Bongcam-Rudloff (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden)
Leader of Work Package 5 — Training and Education: Ms. Anouk Berger (IARC, France)
Leader of Work Package 6 — Dissemination: Dr. Maimuna Mendy (IARC, France)
More info: http://www.b3africa.org
BCNet was set up as an opportunity for LMICs to work together in a coordinated and effective manner and jointly address the many challenges in biobanking infrastructure, including ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSIs).
In addition, BCNet will facilitate the sharing of resources (e.g. expertise, protocols) and the development of joint projects, strengthening the competitiveness of LMIC biobanks in applying for international funding.
Coordinator: Dr. Maimuna Mendy (IARC, France)
More info: http://bcnet.iarc.fr
The overall aim of the project is to provide clinicians and policy makers across Europe with an evidence based menu and options for targeted and cost effective CVD risk approaches tailored to the needs of Europe's diverse populations.
The study will utilize stored samples from EPIC and IBB will be responsible for pre analytical processing and redistribution of samples to the different collaborators across Europe and New Zealand.
Coordinator: Professor John Danesh (University of Cambridge, UK
This study is on the role of human papillomavirus infection and other co-factors in the aetiology of head and neck cancer in Europe and India.
The study will be focused on the elucidation of the role of HPV types and other environmental risk factors in HNC in Europe and in India.
The role of IBB is to archive and redistribute human specimens in European and Indian centres and generate a large collection of specimens from controls and HNC cases.
Coordinator: Dr. Massimo Tommasino (IARC, France)
This is a study on prevention of fibrosis and liver cancer in Africa.
The study will be conducted in The Gambia, Senegal and Nigeria with collaborators from UK, France and Italy.
Aliquot of samples collected in the study will be kept at IARC.
Coordinator: Professor Mark Thursz (Imperial College, UK)