Following a survey of BCNet member institutions a three-tiered training program was devised which includes:
i. online training;
ii. in-person training at IARC and
iii. in-country training between network members.
The on-line training, which was provided by IARC, in partnership with CTRNet and ISBER, gave BCNet members access to an online training course on basic biobanking (including a pre- and a post-test to measure knowledge gained).
The first in-person training was held at IARC, Lyon from 3-5 November 2015. A total of 25 participants from 16 low and middle income countries attended, including biobank managers and technicians, pathologists, biologists and medical researchers. IARC, together with 11 partners including US NCI-CGH, BBMRI-ERIC, BBMRI.se, P3G, CGP and UKCRC Tissue Directory and Coordination Centre, conducted the lectures and shared experiences with BCNet members.
The program covered the key aspects of biobanking and included discussion on documented country-specific biobanking challenges presented by each member organization in posters and group discussions and «real world» examples focussing on country-specific rules/regulations/laws that govern biobanking in research and clinical settings.
The feedback and recommendations from the 1st training program has provided information for the development of BCNet-specific modules for more detailed online training.