Biobanks have become crucial to the conduct of genetic and genomic research, especially large-scale genomic research. Biobanks now exist all over the world. Many have been established in the United States, with more planned. Biobanks vary considerably in size, scope, design, and intended use.4 A growing literature documents the variation, including large population-based biobanks (such as UK Biobank), biobanks located at a center of clinical care (such as biobanks in the eMERGE network), and disease-specific biobanks (such as Myeloma Bank on a Cure™). 5–10 Biobanks vary in management and governance structure, so that precisely who discharges a responsibility falling on the biobank (including those responsibilities we recommend below) will vary; biobanks themselves are generally best situated to identify the relevant individual(s) within the biobank.
