The Integrated Biobank of Luxembourg and the University of Luxembourg have launched the “Certificate on Principles of Biobanking for Clinical and Environmental Biospecimens and Bioresources”.

Biomedicine is a key research focus of the Luxembourgish “Health Science Plan” with the key players being the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) of the University and the Biobank.

The programme is designed for students, educators, researchers and practitioners who are custodians of, or have an interest in, biological resources and biospecimens stored in biobanks and biorepositories for the purposes of research and their application in various communities of practice.

• The course consists of intensive seminars, taking place during three consecutive weeks in May and June 2011.
• The fee is 2,000 Euros and the teaching language is English.
• Registration for the programme is open until March 30th 2011. 
• Requirements are a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, and good knowledge of English.
• A resume, application letter, and letters of recommendation, along with eventual visa and entry requirements, are to be sent to Dr. Fay Betsou (fay.betsou@ibbl.lu) at IBBL.

An objective of the programme is to provide the theoretical, operational and practical knowledge required to facilitate the activities of existing biobanks and assist the creation of new ones. Another goal is to encourage bilateral exchange of knowledge and skills across different thematic biobanking groups involved in biospecimen conservation, storage, science and research.

The IBBL is an independent, non-profit foundation, collecting, storing and analyzing biological samples, that are then made available to different research organisations. The University of Luxembourg, founded in 2003, focuses on high-level, international research in a select number of fields. The new programme is endorsed by the International Society of Biological and Environmental Repositories.

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> Further information on http://biobankingcertificate.uni.lu

> Contact persons:

• At the Integrated Biobank of Luxembourg (IBBL): Fay Betsou (fay.betsou@ibbl.lu).
• At the University of Luxembourg (UL): Paul Heuschling, Dean of the Faculty of Science, Technology and Communication.