Inauguration of the Pitié-Salpêtrière (AP-HP) Biological Resource Platform :

On 25 June 2009, the Plateforme de Ressources Biologiques (PRB or Biological Resource Platform) at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris has been inaugurated. This new platform brings together several biobanks under the same roof: Myobank, the muscle tissue bank created by the Institut de Myologie-AFM (Myology Institute - French Muscular Dystrophy Association), the NeuroCEB EIG, a tissue bank for research into neurodegenerative diseases, and the tumour and brain tissue banks collected by AP-HP (the Public Health Organisation serving Paris). The aim is to stimulate biomedical research by providing both French and foreign research scientists with a very broad range of human biological material samples, as along with the corresponding clinical, biological and genetic information.

“Biological material” is an essential tool for medical research activities, regarding both in vitro studies and in vivo clinical investigations. Using tissue samples, scientists can study the consequences of genetic mutations responsible for diseases directly on the cells expressing the mutant gene, and from this deduce the mechanisms involved in the formation of lesions. They can also develop cell lines for testing treatment models in vitro. Through its various biobanks, the PRB stores more than 6000 muscle samples, 150 cerebral hemispheres for research into neurodegenerative diseases, over 5000 tumours, etc. Working closely with practitioners and research scientists, the PRB serves the French and international scientific community by collecting, preparing, storing, transferring and hosting collections using advanced techniques and complex logistics.

The financial backing required to set up the PRB came from the AFM, France Alzheimer, France Parkinson, IFRAD (French Research Foundation for Alzheimer’s Disease), the French Foundation for Brain Research and Rotary International. It is also supported by the Paris VI University Multi-training Plan, Inserm (French National Institute for Health and Medical Research), Inca (French National Cancer Institute) and the CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research). The platform is housed at the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital site and the hospital is responsible for maintaining and overseeing it. Formalised by a use agreement on 21 April 2008, it is currently a tripartite associative/public structure. The PRB is conducting a quality policy in line with the standards of biological resource centres (French standard NF S96-900): the certification audit is scheduled for early 2010. “I believe the platform is unique in the world in one particular aspect: it unites at least six patient associations, a hospital and a university around a single project. We are firmly convinced that we will be able to use this platform as a foundation to further advance research. (…) We are the future for research in the field of tumours, neurodegenerative diseases and muscle diseases,” said Professor Charles Duyckaerts, Head of the Anatomy and Pathology 2 Department focused on neurology and Manager of the PRB.