THISISSUE SEES the launch of a new series entitled Biobank THISthat highlights biobanks in different regions. The aim is to provide thumbnail sketches of biobanks within networks across the globe. These profiles are vignettes that encompass the focus and features of each biobank and also the challenges and opportunities they face. The idea of list-ings or databases of biobanks is not new, and the question has been raised as to whether such vignettes are useful or necessary, and if they have a role alongside more systematic web-based catalogues with URL links to the same biobanks. Catalogues are clearly more searchable and filterable and so are primarily useful as a tool for researchers to seek out relevant collections of biospecimens. Vignettes on the other hand are intended primarily as a tool for biobanks to refer-ence themselves. Vignettes convey the variety of design and purpose but also the unique characteristics of different biobanks and their networks. Vignettes are simply more personal.
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