Introduction
In our journey towards a future free of animal testing, we have seen how technology has allowed us to create increasingly sophisticated models of human biology. From cell cultures to organ-on-a-chip devices, these innovations have brought us closer than ever to the goal of replacing animals in research. But what if we could go one step further? What if, instead of modeling human biology, we could use the real thing? This is the promise of human tissue models and biobanks, a field that is providing researchers with unprecedented access to human cells, tissues, and data, and that is playing a crucial role in the development and validation of animal-free testing methods. In this installment of our series, we explore the world of human tissue models and biobanks and discover how they are helping us to build a new paradigm of human-relevant research.
The Power of Human Tissues
The use of human tissues in research is not a new idea. Pathologists have been studying human tissue samples for centuries to diagnose and understand disease. What is new, however, is the scale and sophistication of our ability to collect, store, and analyze these tissues. Modern biobanks are not just collections of preserved specimens; they are highly structured and professionally managed resource centers that provide researchers with access to a vast and diverse range of human biological materials, from fresh frozen tissues and FFPE (formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded) blocks to matched biofluids like blood and plasma.
The use of human tissues in research offers a number of significant advantages over both animal models and traditional cell culture methods:
- The Ultimate in Human Relevance: Human tissues are, by definition, the most relevant model of human biology. They capture the full complexity of the human cellular environment, including the interactions between different cell types and the influence of the extracellular matrix.
- Disease Modeling: Human tissues from diseased patients are an invaluable resource for studying the mechanisms of disease and for testing the efficacy of new drugs.
- Personalized Medicine: By studying the tissues of individual patients, it is possible to develop personalized treatments that are tailored to a patient’s specific genetic makeup and disease profile.
The Rise of the Biobank
The biobanking marketplace has been growing at a remarkable rate, with some estimates suggesting an annual growth of 20-30% [1]. This growth has been driven by a number of factors, including the increasing demand for human-relevant research models, the development of new technologies for tissue analysis, and the growing recognition of the value of biobanks as a strategic resource for biomedical research.
There are a number of different types of biobanks, from small, disease-specific collections to large, national biobanks that collect samples from a wide range of a population. Some of the major players in this field include:
- BioIVT: A leading global provider of human and animal biological products and services, BioIVT offers a vast and diverse inventory of human tissues and biofluids.
- NCI Biobanks: The National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the United States supports a network of biobanks that collect and distribute biospecimens from cancer patients.
- NCTN Biobanks: The National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) also maintains a network of biobanks that house a wide range of biospecimens from clinical trial participants.
Ethical Considerations
The use of human tissues in research raises a number of important ethical and legal considerations. The most important of these is the issue of informed consent. It is essential that donors are fully informed about how their tissues will be used and that they have the right to withdraw their consent at any time. The protection of donor privacy is also a critical concern, and biobanks have a responsibility to ensure that all personal identifying information is removed from the samples before they are distributed to researchers.
The Future is Human
Human tissue models and biobanks are a powerful reminder that the future of biomedical research is human. By providing researchers with access to the real thing, these resources are helping us to move away from the use of animal models and to build a new paradigm of research that is more accurate, more efficient, and more relevant to human health.
As we will explore in the next installment of our series, the integration of human tissue models with other technologies, such as organ-on-a-chip and artificial intelligence, is creating a powerful synergy that is accelerating the transition to animal-free science. The future of toxicology is not just about replacing animals; it is about embracing the full complexity and diversity of human biology, and human tissue models and biobanks are at the very heart of this exciting new frontier.
References
- Vaught, J., Rogers, J., Carolin, T., & Compton, C. (2011). Biobankonomics: developing a sustainable business model approach for the formation of a human tissue biobank. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Monographs, 2011(42), 24–31. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/jncimono/article-abstract/2011/42/24/935966
- Zatloukal, K., & Hainaut, P. (2010). Human tissue biobanks as instruments for drug discovery and development. Target discovery and validation reviews and protocols, 1-14. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21133710/
