The Singapore Bio-Bank (SBB)

News & Announcements

The Singapore Tissue Network (STN) has been renamed
With effect from 1 April 2010, the Singapore Tissue Network (STN) has been renamed as the Singapore Bio-Bank (SBB).

Translational and Clinical Research (TCR) Flagship Programs at the Singapore Bio-Bank (SBB)
The SBB as a national repository is the preferred partner for its sample banking capabilities. Three TCR projects are banking their samples with the SBB: Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO), Elucidating the Genetic Architecture of Neurocognitive Endophenotypes in Schizophrenia and the TRC Adult Metabolic Diseases.

ISO 9001: 2008 Certification
In the pursuit towards continual improvement, the Singapore Tissue Network (STN) had attained the ISO 9001 : 2008 certification; the latest edition of the International Standard as the framework for its Quality Management Systems (QMS). The new version ISO 9001 : 2008 will provide greater clarifications to responsibilities, competencies and control of outsourced processes and other existing requirements of ISO 9001 : 2000. The scope of QMS for STN includes the collection, processing, archiving and distribution of bio-specimens and associated clinical data.

The Singapore Tissue Network (STN) Open House, 16 January 2010
In an effort to close the knowledge gaps on diabetes, the aim of the STN Open House 2010 was to increase awareness of diabetes as a serious disease with severe health complications, to encourage early detection and to manage diabetes among those who have already been diagnosed with the disease. A distinguished speaker had shared essential knowledge on how diabetes can affect the eyes and how one can sound the alarm on the risk of diabetes. The NUH Eye Center @ Biopolis had offered complimentary eye checks.

Adrian Pereira (Assistant Lab Manager of STN) receives Public Service Medal
We are proud to share that our colleague, Mr Adrian Pereira (Assistant Lab Manager of STN) is a recipient of the Public Service Medal in the Singapore National Day Awards (Year 2009). Please visit http://www.pmo.gov.sg/NationalHonoursandAwards/2009/#ThePublicServiceMedal. His name is listed under Public Service Medal, under Sembawang GRC) The Public Service Medal (Pingat Bakti Masyarakat) was instituted in 1973. The Medal may be awarded to any person who has rendered commendable public service in Singapore or for his achievement in the field of arts and letters, sports, the sciences, business, the professions and the labour movement. The Medal, in silver, is in the form of a stylised rosette of undulating folds having, on the obverse side, a disc with a bar to each side upon which a circular shield bearing a crescent and 5 stars is embossed. Below it is a scroll with the inscription "PINGAT BAKTI MASYARAKAT" and 2 laurels. The reverse side of the Medal bears the State Arms. The Medal is to be worn on the left side of the outer garment suspended by a ribbon. The ribbon is grey with a white centre band and a red stripe to each side. For more on the Public Service Medal, please visit http://www.pmo.gov.sg/NationalHonoursandAwards/Pingat+Bakti+Masyarakat+(The+Public+Service+Medal).htm Congratulations and well done, Adrian!!!

The Singapore Tissue Network (STN) Open House 2009, 21 February 2009
The STN Open House 2009 on 21 February 2009 was an outreach program to reach out to the public about the most common types of cancers in Singapore. This event aimed to increase the public’s awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer in healthy individuals. A/Prof Allen Yeoh (Senior Consultant & Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, NUH/NUS) had talked about how to prevent and control cancer. Mobile units were set up for the screening of cervical and breast cancer. Laboratory tours were conducted in STN to showcase some laboratory activities. Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman (Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of National Development) was invited to be the Guest-of-Honour.

ISBER 2007 features the Singapore Tissue Network (STN)
The 2007 Annual Meeting of the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) was held from 30 May 2007 to 02 June 2007 in Singapore. This is ISBER's first meeting in the Asia Pacific region and a tour of the STN was featured. STN’s Chairman Professor Tan Chorh Chuan was invited to make the Welcome Address on 31 May 2007 while STN’s Director Professor Edison Liu made a speech on Genomic Technologies and the Importance of Biobanks: New Models of Interaction. On 1 June 2007, Ms. Theresa Chow, Deputy Director of STN, led a panel discussion on the Implementation of ISO 9001 Standards for Quality at the Singapore Tissue Network. Read More...

The Singapore Tissue Network (STN) joins P3G as Charter Member
In January 2007, the STN was accepted as a Charter Member of the prestigious Public Population Project in Genomics (P3G), a non-for-profit international consortium dedicated to fostering collaboration between researchers and projects in the field of population genomics. Membership to P3G allows STN access to networking and informal scientific exchange with leading researchers and biobanks in the field of population genomics so as to enable the international research community to share expertise and resources and facilitate knowledge transfer for the health of populations. Read More...

The Singapore Tissue Network (STN) achieves 1SO 9001 : 2000/SS ISO 9001: 2000 on 27 October 2006
27 October 2006 marks a milestone for the STN as it achieved the stringent ISO 9000 standards to attain the ISO 9001 : 2000/SS ISO 9001: 2000 certification. The assessment of STN's Quality Management System (QMS) was conducted by PSB Certification Pte Ltd, Singapore’s national certification body, and the criteria included the conformity for the collection, processing, archiving and distribution of bio-specimens and associated clinical data. The ISO 9000 is a series of international standards on quality management developed by the Geneva-based International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 1987. It was developed to assist companies to design, develop and implement effective quality management systems.

Biomedical Sciences International Advisory Council Endorses Four New Translational Research Initiatives To Bring Basic Science Closer To Clinical Applications
Twelve eminent scientists from US, UK, Europe, Canada and Australia gathered in Singapore on 31 October 2005 for the 10th meeting of the Singapore Biomedical Sciences International Advisory Council (BMS IAC). The BMS IAC endorsed the proposals from ASTAR's Biomedical Research Council to establish: the Singapore Stem Cell Consortium (SSCC); the Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN) the Singapore Consortium of Cohort Studies (SCCS); and the ASTAR Data Privacy Framework (DPF). A*STAR will establish a Data Privacy Framework (DPF) by end 2006 to protect the privacy and confidentiality of patients and subjects as efforts to strengthen translational research step up. The DPF will build upon the existing regulatory and ethical guidelines in Singapore for studies involving humans; including the need to obtain proper informed consent from potential study subjects, as well as approval from the relevant Institutional Review Board (IRB). Under the DPF, stringent processes and an IT-based infrastructure will be put in place to de-identify confidential information and tissue samples collected by the Singapore Tissue Network and the proposed Singapore Consortium of Cohort Studies, allowing research to be conducted in a secure and ethical manner. Read More...

The Singapore Tissue Network (STN) implements Nautilus LIMS
The STN announced its appointment of Thermo Informatics Asia Pacific Pty Ltd to implement its Nautilus Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) software on 12 May 2004. This appointment was undertaken together with the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), one of the research institutes of the Biomedical Research Council (BMRC) of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). The LIMS software was selected based on its extensible and flexible functionalities – the tracking inventory, samples and locations, as well as work flow building, equipment automation and results storage – all of which are targeted to enhance STN’s operations of managing genetic resources and utilizing the resources in an organized, concerted and transparent manner.

The Singapore Tissue Network (STN) has moved to Biopolis
The STN has begun its operations in Biopolis. The Biopolis is a 180 hectare biomedical city within the Buona Vista Science Hub. The Biopolis houses the Singapore Institute of Molecular Biology, the Bioinformatics Institute, the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, the BioTechnology Center, the Genome Institute of Singapore, the Biomedical Research Council and regional and multinational industrial R&D organizations. The STN occupies 500 sq meters of space with storage and laboratory facilities for high throughput processing of tissue and DNA samples.