Multiomics and tumor banking: comprehensive plaforms- integrating cancer diversity, biomarker discovery and personalised cancer care in India

Biobanks are innovative biomedical research infrastructures that play a crucial role in advancing cancer research by supporting investigations into the etiology, progression, and therapeutic interventions of the disease. Biobanks have significantly contributed to personalized medicine by providing high-quality bio specimen resources and expertise in tissue handling, essential for understanding the interplay of genetic, ecological, and lifestyle factors on cancer biology, human health, and mortality. By linking bio specimens with clinical, pathological, and epidemiological data, biobanks are central in the discovery and development of cancer therapeutics through biomarkers. In this review, the importance of managing biobanks as integral parts of data generation and analytics continuum driving precision medicine is pointed out. The advent of multi-OMICS analytics, combined with artificial intelligence, systems biology, and deep machine learning, has elevated the importance of bio banking human bio specimens as not only a biological resource but also an informatics asset. Here, we examine the impact of bio banking in facilitating translational, bench-to-bedside cancer research, with a focus on multi-OMICS data-driven biomarker discovery and precision oncology. In addition, we discuss one of the major innovations in biobank management: the hub-and-spoke model. This centralized system leverages core expertise and resources while collecting bio specimens from diverse geographic regions, thereby capturing the heterogeneity of cancer biology. The hub-and-spoke approach is particularly advantageous for countries like India, characterized by vast geographic and demographic diversity. It ensures complete coverage of the different types of cancers, disease stages, and population groups in addressing the complexity and diversity of cancer biology.