Génome Québec and CIUSSS du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Biobank

The Génome Québec and CIUSSS du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Biobank is a world-class high technology infrastructure dedicated to managing biological and non-biological samples with the potential to influence or interact with human health. The Biobank can especially support projects such as CARTaGENE, ECOGENE-21 and biodiversity initiative, and it facilitates the intergration of "omic sciences" in a continuum of projects ranging from populations to communities.

Deployed at Centre hospitalier affilié universitaire régional de Chicoutimi and affiliated with Université de Montréal, the Biobank operates as a technology platform for Génome Québec.

Technical Characteristics:

• Ability to prepare, store, track and manage millions of biological and non-biological samples over the long term (several decades), and in different conditions: room temparature, +4°C, -20°C, -80°C, and -190°C (cryopreservation)
• Automated systems for a high thoughput and effective management of samples (storage, capture, plate set-up and withdrawal, etc.)
• Sophisticated, highly automated technical plateform, with a mirror site, and international partnership
• Specialized human resources
• Secured system entailing encryption and anonymisation of all samples
• Development of new systems (R&D) and intergration of existing leading-edge systems
• Management under govenment and university governance