ICMR-MDRF Diabetes Biosamples: Cohort profile

Background & objectives Biobanks are crucial for biomedical research, enabling new treatments and medical advancements. The biobank at the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF) aims to gather, process, store, and distribute biospecimens to assist scientific studies. Methods This article details the profile of two cohorts: the Indian Council of Medical Research-India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) study and the Registry of people with diabetes in India with young age at onset (ICMR-YDR). The ICMR-INDIAB study is the largest epidemiological study on diabetes in India, encompassing a nationally representative sample of individuals aged 20 yr and older from urban and rural areas in every State across the country. The ICMR-YDR is the first national-level, multicentric clinic-based registry focusing on youth-onset diabetes in India, aiming to understand the disease patterns and variations in youth-onset diabetes across different country regions. Results Key operations at the MDRF biobank include collecting and processing samples, where serum and whole blood samples are aliquoted and transferred through a cold chain to the central laboratory, and then stored in Siruseri (29 km from the capital city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu). Samples are barcoded, linked to subject information, and stored in freezers or liquid nitrogen (LN2) vessels, with inventory tracked via software for easy retrieval. A register records access to the biobank, ensuring sample integrity and compliance with regulatory requirements. The biobank adheres to the ICMR's National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical and Health Research involving human participants. Interpretation & conclusions The biobank enables the analysis of biomarkers in stored samples, aiding in scientifically sound decisions, treating patients, and potentially curing diabetes.