The biobank is located in the Department of Internal Medicine V - Pneumology, Allergology and Respiratory Medicine at Saarland University. It was founded in 2010 as part of the COPD network COSYCONET and includes several local studies and samples from the NAPKON network in addition to the Cosyconet study. The collection includes liquid samples (EDTA plasma, citrate plasma, serum, P100 plasma, throat rinse water, BAL, sputum, urine) collected from a wide range of patients with lung diseases.
Sample processing with integrated data acquisition is automated using robots. The samples are managed in a professional commercial biobank software (FreezerPro Enterprise) and stored in monitored -80°C/-150°C freezers. The processes from sample collection to sample storage and analysis of biomarkers are regulated by standardised SOPs and, if necessary, supported by the biobank in an advisory capacity. The biobank is part of the DZL biobanking platform and observer biobank in the GBN.