Letter to the editor: ISBER Two Decades and Beyond: Honoring Our Past, Celebrating the Present, and Envisioning Our Future.

Abstract

Biopreservation and BiobankingVol. 19, No. 4 Review ArticlesFree AccessLetter to the editor: ISBER Two Decades and Beyond: Honoring Our Past, Celebrating the Present, and Envisioning Our FutureDebra Leiolani Garcia and Zisis KozlakidisDebra Leiolani GarciaAddress correspondence to:, Debra Leiolani Garcia, MPA, San Mateo, CA 94401, USA E-mail Address: dleiolani@gmail.comPrivate Consultant, San Mateo, California, USA.ISBER President (2019–2020).Search for more papers by this author and Zisis KozlakidisInternational Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, Lyon, France.ISBER President (2017–2018).Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:13 Aug 2021https://doi.org/10.1089/bio.2021.29088.dlgAboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail As the International Society of Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) celebrated its 20th anniversary, it was essential for its members to look back and reflect on how the society started and continues to grow as a global resource and collective force in the biobanking arena. ISBER strives to connect biobanks and related fields around the world to ensure quality through standardization and harmonization of biobanking practices. We have witnessed during the past 20 years that biobanking is being recognized as an indispensable research infrastructure activity underpinning scientific breakthroughs.As we reviewed our history, it became apparent that ISBER should capture the valuable work of its membership and the global biobanking community in an e-book highlighting its history and achievements (www.isber.org/resource/resmgr/20annibook/20thAnniversaryBook-ISBER-v0.pdf).The first edition of the e-book was initiated at the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the society and provides the inspiration for many more years to come. It articulates the distilled efforts and history of ISBER over the past two decades, the different individuals who have shaped the society into its current form, as well as the many efforts to investigate the diverse aspects ISBER as an active inclusive society, run by its members and responding to the evolving needs of the biobanking field as a whole.The history of ISBER is proof of how an important idea, such as the development of a society focused on the quality of biological research materials and biobanking, can come to realization, be expressed by a scientific journal,1 and eventually mature when there is committed leadership supported by interested, experienced, and enthusiastic members, all aided by a dedicated administrative staff. ISBER was created to be an international forum, creating opportunities for networking, education, and innovation by providing harmonized approaches to emerging challenges in repositories, as well as fostering ideas to create new solutions. Today, continuing on those footsteps, the primary goals of the society include creating educational and training opportunities; providing a forum for dissemination of state-of-the-art policies, processes, and research findings; and showcasing innovative technologies, products, and services.Two decades is a very short period of time for a global concept to become established and flourish, such that it is now considered an infrastructural component vital to delivering modern precision research. This sustained growth of biobanking and its eventual acceptance as a discipline form part of ISBER's legacy. Since 1999, academia, biobankers, patient advocates, industry and state representatives, lawyers, and others with an interest in biobanking have met at least once per year during the ISBER annual meeting to share and expand their expert knowledge in the field. This global focal point of ISBER meetings has created a strong foundation for the regular exchange of experiences, networking opportunities, as well as the development of best practices educational tools with a global reach, especially as the biobanking field develops in Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, and South America.2ISBER is proud of its many accomplishments over the past 20 years. It will continue to move forward with strong, visionary, and thought-provoking leadership, along with its supportive management. The society will continue its onward stride into its third decade as the premier global forum that addresses the harmonization of scientific, technical, legal, and ethical issues relevant to repositories of biological and environmental specimens.DisclaimerWhere authors are identified as personnel of the International Agency for Research on Cancer/WHO, the authors alone are responsible for the views expressed in this article and they do not necessarily represent the decisions, policy, or views of the International Agency for Research on Cancer/WHO.