The Biobank Certification Program is a cornerstone of the statewide biobanking strategy, led by NSW Health Pathology.

Launched in 2016, the program shares education and communicates best practices and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to improve the quality of biobanking in NSW.

Available to all NSW biobanks, the voluntary program was developed in collaboration with the Canadian Office of Biobank Education and Research (OBER). It is an adaptation of the existing and successful Canadian scheme, updated with Australian-specific laws, regulations and guidelines.

The program is comprised of two linked phases: Registration and Certification

Registration is the first phase of the program and requires the completion of an introductory education module, ‘Basics of Biobanking’. Over 200 individuals have completed this module and there are 66 registered biobanks and 5 registered pathology laboratories, most of which are listed on the NSW Biobank Registry.

Certification is the second phase of the program and requires the completion of 9 additional modules. 10 biobanks have progressed to full certification, the most recent being the NSWHSB (audited by external reviewers from Canada), with several more in the final stages.

To register for the program or to learn more, visit the NSW Health Pathology Biobank Certification Program website or email [email protected].