Biobanks, or biological resource centres, are becoming indispensible elements in the landscape of medical, academic and industrial research. In recent years, they have been rapidly increasing in size, which has resulted in the appearance of new professions:
- biobank manager
- person in charge of the biobank technical platform (sample transport, storage, analysis, ...)
- advisor to sample collectors and users
- person in charge of scientific and technological monitoring, of legal or ethical issues, quality assurance and control
- ...
To keep up with these changes, ESTBB has set up a Master programme preparing to these interdisciplinary professions, adding legislation, ethical and management courses to the solid biological education.
Semester dates:
- 1st semester : August 15 - January 31
- 2nd semester: February 1 - August 14
The date of the beginning of the academic year:
- about October 1st for the 1st and 2nd year students
Courses in English
Some courses are taught in English, for example as invited lectures by international experts.
Nine months of obligatory biobank placements
The curriculum includes nine months of obligatory placements scheduled within the two years of the programme.
Jobs after graduation
After two years of studies, the graduates are recruited by private and public biobanks:
- academic laboratories
- hospital biobanks and laboratories
- companies (pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries)
- non-profit organisations
Diploma level
The granted diploma is equivalent to the Master of Science according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
Curriculum
A transdisciplinary curiculum
Scientific modules
- The different biospecimens and their analyses
- Sampling and biospecimen conservation methods
- Databases and data management for biobanks
- Clinical research and epidemiological methods
- Insertion of biobanks in the scientific community
Biobanking modules
- Quality applied to biobanks
- Legislation of biobanks
- Bio-ethics of biobanks
Methodological tools
- Team management
- Project management
- Financial management
Intercultural communication
French/English language
Developed skills and competencies
Scientific and technical coordination of a biobank: ensuring biospecimen security during storage and transport, coordination of biospecimen flow, biospecimen annotation, processing, and analysis
Ethics and legislation: knowing the deontology and the rules that apply to biospecimens, application of national and international biobank legislation
Technological transfer and innovation: setting up technological platforms, monitoring technological development, harmonising biospecimen collection
Information management and communication: participation in the development and management of a database, ensuring biospecimen traceability, making collections available, advising to collectors and users, communicating on the biobank activities, participating in the biobank international networking
Management: coordinating a team of laboratory assistants and bioinformaticians, developing quality assurance and control, development and coordination of scientific and technological projects