Biobanking for epidemiology

Biobanks are a key resource in unravelling the association between genetic background, lifestyle and environmental determinants of the incidence, natural course and treatment response for various complex diseases and health traits. Biobanks are goldmines for epidemiological research, provided that they are set up properly, enable multicentre collaboration, and are available for use by all serious epidemiology groups. (C) 2012 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.