Biobanks in chronic disease management: A comprehensive review of strategies, challenges, and future directions

Abstract

Biobanks, through the collection and storage of patient blood, tissue, genomic, and other biological samples, provide unique and rich resources for the research and management of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. These samples contain valuable cellular and molecular level information that can be utilized to decipher the pathogenesis of diseases, guide the development of novel diagnostic technologies, treatment methods, and personalized medical strategies. This article first outlines the historical evolution of biobanks, their classification, and the impact of technological advancements. Subsequently, it elaborates on the significant role of biobanks in revealing molecular biomarkers of chronic diseases, promoting the translation of basic research to clinical applications, and achieving individualized treatment and management. Additionally, challenges such as standardization of sample processing, information privacy, and security are discussed. Finally, from the perspectives of policy support, regulatory improvement, and public participation, this article provides a forecast on the future development directions of biobanks and strategies to address challenges, aiming to safeguard and enhance their unique advantages in supporting chronic disease prevention and treatment.

Keywords: Biobanks; Biomarkers; Chronic diseases; Data privacy; Personalized medicine.

Fig. 1

Core Literature Sources by Bradford's Law. A graph depicting the core sources by Bradford's Law, illustrating a steep decline in the number of articles as the rank of sources increases, with a long tail of sources contributing a relatively small number of articles.

Fig. 2

Most Local Cited Documents in the Field. A bar chart displaying the most globally cited documents in the field.

Fig. 3

Countries of Corresponding Authors. A horizontal bar chart showing the corresponding author's countries for the publications analyzed, with China and the USA having the highest number of single-country publications (MCP), while the USA and the United Kingdom lead in terms of multiple-country collaborations (SCP).