More than 680,000 blood and tissue samples, clinical data from over 20,000 patients, around 50 supported research projects each year and an average of 20 scientific publications: For 25 years, the Heidelberg Lung Biobank has provided an important foundation for advances in lung research.
The Lung Biobank was established in 2001 at Thoraxklinik Heidelberg. What began as a tissue collection has developed into one of the largest collections of lung and lung tumour samples in Germany. An important milestone in this development was its integration into the Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC), the Heidelberg site of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL).
Today, the Lung Biobank provides researchers not only with tissue and blood samples, but also with other types of biomaterial, including bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, pleural effusions and exhaled breath condensate – all linked to clinical data. This provides an important basis for understanding disease mechanisms, identifying biomarkers and investigating new approaches to diagnosis and treatment.
Over the years, the Lung Biobank has significantly expanded its services. In addition to providing biomaterials, it also develops tissue and cell culture models for research. These include Precision-Cut Lung Slices (PCLS) generated from tissue remaining after surgery. In these thin tissue sections, the structure of tumour or lung tissue is preserved, allowing researchers to investigate, for example, interactions between tumour cells, immune cells and blood vessels. The biobank also provides air–liquid interface (ALI) cultures. Using tissue remaining from bronchial procedures, human airway epithelium can be recreated in the laboratory – for example, to study respiratory infections or investigate new therapeutic compounds.
Today, the Lung Biobank supports partners from academia and industry and contributes to around 50 research projects each year. With a focus on lung cancer and interstitial lung diseases, it has become an important infrastructure for national and international research projects.
The biobank currently employs nine study coordinators, four technical assistants, three medical documentation specialists, three data managers and one quality manager. This interdisciplinary structure has significantly improved the quality of clinical sample and data collection as well as their structured provision for research projects. Since 2023, the Lung Biobank has been partially accredited according to ISO 20387.
Even after 25 years, its goal remains the same: to make high-quality samples, data and research models available in a way that enables new insights into the diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases.
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Source: 25 Years of the Heidelberg Lung Biobank – TLRC Heidelberg
