Advanced Biobanking and Biotechnology

Germplasm Bank

The Germplasm Bank is committed to providing healthy and viable seed, as well as reliable information on the collections of maize and wheat genetic resources it preserves; carrying out the activities required for seed introduction, processing, conservation, and distribution; complying with international agreements and standards; and hiring qualified staff to ensure that the requirements of our clients are met. The Bank is thus committed to complying with ISO 9001:2008 and continually improving the effectiveness of the Quality Management System. The Global Plan of Action (GPA) for plant genetic resources for food and agriculture aims to promote the conservation, sustainable utilization, and fair and equitable sharing of benefits of plant genetic resources. It is designed to contribute to the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity in the field of food and agriculture. The Plant Genetic Resource Center's specially designed vaults currently hold some 28,000 samples of maize and teosinte, a wild relative of maize, and 140,000 Triticeae samples, including bread wheat, durum wheat, and triticale (a man-made crop developed by crossing wheat with rye), with significant collections of barley, rye, and primitive and wild relatives of wheat. The Center also maintains a living collection of Tripsacum, a more distant maize relative.

ESBB conference Johannesburg, South Africa, Global Biobanking London, UK, HandsOn Biobanks 2016 conference Vienna, Austria, Managing Biomarker-Driven Clinical Trials Miami, USA, Genomic Sample Prep and Biomarker Assay Development San Francisco, USA, 2nd International Symposium on Germplasm of Ornamentals Atlanta, Georgia, IX International Symposium on In Vitro Culture and Horticultural Breeding Giza, Egypt, International Symposium on Role of Plant Genetic Resources on Reclaiming Lands and Environment Deteriorated by Human and Natural Actions Shiraz, Iran, VIII International Postharvest Symposium: Enhancing Supply Chain and Consumer Benefits - Ethical and Technological Issues Cartagena, Murcia, Spain.

According to estimates from the World Bank, global healthcare spending increased at a CAGR of 6.97% from 2003 to 2013, from USD 3,786 Billion in 2003 to USD 7,427 Billion in 2013. In this period, public healthcare spending increased at a CAGR of 7.28%, from USD 2,198 Billion in 2003 to USD 4,440 Billion in 2013. This high growth rate, along with the substantial size of healthcare spending, will act as an important driver for biobanks, hospitals and gene banks, which are the major end-user segments of the biopreservation media & equipment market.