Building blocks for better biorepositories in Africa

BACKGROUND

Biorepositories archive and distribute well-characterized biospecimens for research to support the development of medical diagnostics and therapeutics. Knowledge of biobanking and associated practices is incomplete in low- and middle-income countries where disease burden is disproportionately high. In 2011, the African Society of Human Genetics (AfSHG), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Wellcome Trust founded the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) consortium to promote genomic research in Africa and established a network of three biorepositories regionally located in East, West, and Southern Africa to support biomedical research. This manuscript describes the processes established by H3Africa biorepositories to prepare research sites to collect high-quality biospecimens for deposit at H3Africa biorepositories.

METHODS

The biorepositories harmonized practices between the biorepositories and the research sites. The biorepositories developed guidelines to establish best practices and define biospecimen requirements; standard operating procedures (SOPs) for common processes such as biospecimen collection, processing, storage, transportation, and documentation as references; requirements for minimal associated datasets and formats; and a template material transfer agreements (MTA) to govern biospecimen exchange. The biorepositories also trained and mentored collection sites in relevant biobanking processes and procedures and verified biospecimen deposit processes. Throughout these procedures, the biorepositories followed ethical and legal requirements.

RESULTS

The 20 research projects deposited 107,982 biospecimens (76% DNA, 81,067), in accordance with the ethical and legal requirements and established best practices. The biorepositories developed and customized resources and human capacity building to support the projects. [The biorepositories developed 34 guidelines, SOPs, and documents; trained 176 clinicians and scientists in over 30 topics; sensitized ethical bodies; established MTAs and reviewed consent forms for all projects; attained import permits; and evaluated pilot exercises and provided feedback.

CONCLUSIONS

Biobanking in low- and middle-income countries by local skilled staff is critical to advance biobanking and genomic research and requires human capacity and resources for global partnerships. Biorepositories can help build human capacity and resources to support biobanking by partnering with researchers. Partnerships can be structured and customized to incorporate document development, ethics, training, mentorship, and pilots to prepare sites to collect, process, store, and transport biospecimens of high quality for future research.

H3Africa partnerships to empower clinical research sites to generate high-quality biological samples

Background

The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) – Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Biorepository (I-HAB) seeks to provide high-quality biospecimens for research. This depends on the ability of clinical research sites (CRS) – who provide biospecimens – to operate according to well-established industry standards. Yet, standards are often neglected at CRSs located in Africa. Here, I-HAB reports on its four-pronged approach to empower CRSs to prepare high-quality biospecimens for research.

Objectives

I-HAB sought (1) to assess a four-pronged approach to improve biobanking practices and sample quality among CRSs, and (2) to build human capacity.

Methods

I-HAB partnered with two H3Africa principal investigators located in Nigeria and Ghana from August 2013 through to May 2017 to debut its four-pronged approach (needs assessment, training and mentorship, pilot, and continuous quality improvement) to empower CRSs to attain high-quality biospecimens.

Results

Close collaborations were instrumental in establishing mutually beneficial and lasting relationships. Improvements during the 12 months of engagement with CRSs involved personnel, procedural, and supply upgrades. In total, 51 staff were trained in over 20 topics. During the pilot, CRSs extracted 50 DNA biospecimens from whole blood and performed quality control. The CRSs shipped extracted DNA to I-HAB and I-HAB that comparatively analysed the DNA. Remediation was achieved via recommendations, training, and mentorship. Preanalytical, analytical and post-analytical processes, standard operating procedures, and workflows were systematically developed.

Conclusion

Partnerships between I-HAB and H3Africa CRSs enabled research sites to produce high-quality biospecimens through needs assessment, training and mentorship, pilot, and continuous monitoring and improvement.

Blueprint for building a biorepository in a resource-limited setting that follows international best practices

BACKGROUND

Genetic diversity is abundant on the African continent. However, genomic research has been hampered by a lack of high quality and extensively annotated biospecimens and the necessary infrastructure to support such a technology-intensive effort.

OBJECTIVE

The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) partnered with the H3Africa Consortium and the Coriell Institute for Medical Research to build an internationally recognised biorepository for the receipt, processing, storage and distribution of biospecimens for biomedical research. Here, the authors describe the procedures, challenges and results encountered.

RESULTS

Key requirements for a high-quality biorepository were identified: (1) institutional support of infrastructure and services, (2) on-site trained staff with primary commitment to the biorepository, (3) reliance on best practices from globally recognised biorepository groups, (4) early implementation of a quality management system, (5) adoption of a laboratory information management system with demonstrated versatility in functions, (6) collaboration with external experts and sharing of experience through abstracts, newsletters, published manuscripts, and attendance at meetings and workshops, (7) strict adherence to local and national ethical standards and (8) a sustainability plan that is reviewed and updated annually.

CONCLUSION

Utilising published best practices of globally recognised experts in the biorepository field as a benchmark, IHVN expanded and reorganised its existing laboratory facility and staff to take on this new purpose.

Implementation of genomics research in Africa: challenges and recommendations

BACKGROUND

There is exponential growth in the interest and implementation of genomics research in Africa. This growth has been facilitated by the Human Hereditary and Health in Africa (H3Africa) initiative, which aims to promote a contemporary research approach to the study of genomics and environmental determinants of common diseases in African populations.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this article is to describe important challenges affecting genomics research implementation in Africa.

METHODS

The observations, challenges and recommendations presented in this article were obtained through discussions by African scientists at teleconferences and face-to-face meetings, seminars at consortium conferences and in-depth individual discussions.

RESULTS

Challenges affecting genomics research implementation in Africa, which are related to limited resources include ill-equipped facilities, poor accessibility to research centers, lack of expertise and an enabling environment for research activities in local hospitals. Challenges related to the research study include delayed funding, extensive procedures and interventions requiring multiple visits, delays setting up research teams and insufficient staff training, language barriers and an underappreciation of cultural norms. While many African countries are struggling to initiate genomics projects, others have set up genomics research facilities that meet international standards.

CONCLUSIONS

The lessons learned in implementing successful genomics projects in Africa are recommended as strategies to overcome these challenges. These recommendations may guide the development and application of new research programs in low-resource settings.