SIN Warsaw and the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education organised a Polish – British Molecular Genetics Forum on 1-3 June 2009. The Polish plans to establish a National Biobank and legislation on genetic molecular tests in Poland set the context for the forum. The event included a Biobanking workshop and a conference on “Challenges of molecular genetic testing in Poland - proposals for regulations”. Both events were preceded by meetings among scientists from the UK and Poland to explore opportunities for future collaboration
A Biobank is a research tool to investigate the respective contributions of genetic predisposition and environmental exposure (including nutrition, lifestyle, medications etc.) to the development of disease.
Biobanking workshop
Joanna Jenkinson, from the UK Medical Research Council Genetics and Cell biology Programme Manager explained that, ‘the UK has great experience in this field. Particularly important is the flagship “UK Biobank’’ project, to recruit 500,000 sample donors aged 40-69 from across the UK, in order to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of serious and life-threatening illnesses’.
‘This project has the potential to support a wide range of research that will provide scientists with extraordinary information and grow into a unique resource for future generations’, said Paul Fox, Deputy Head of Mission, while opening the workshop.
The development of Biobanks creates ethical, legal and societal issues needing solutions that guarantee innovation and patient protection. All these issues are particularly relevant at a time when Poland is preparing to join the Pan-European Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure and to set up its National Biobanking bodies.
Dr. Martin Yuille from the University of Manchester and Associated Co-ordinator of the BBMRI emphasised in his presentation that the creation of an organised network of Biobanks would prevent work duplication and decrease associated costs.
Conference
Our Ambassador in Poland, Ric Todd opened the conference on 3 June, dedicated to the documentation of genetic testing laboratories, organised in response to the fast development of genetic tests and their increasing availability. The conference aimed to increase Ministry of Science and Higher Education’s know-how in regulating genetic services. Mark Bale from the Department of Health presented British Genetic testing framework model.
