The Progetto Cuore longitudinal studies have contributed to create a bank of biological samples containing serum, plasma, buffy coat, packed red blood cells and urine.

The biological sample bank aims at storing at low temperature different types of biological material for future research, usually not planned at the beginning of the study, in the fields of biochemistry, molecular biochemistry and genetics.

The biological material (serum, plasma, buffy coat, packaged red blood cells, urine) is collected, stored and sent according to standard methods used in several international studies.

To avoid any waste of biological material after unfreezing, the different samples are introduced into aliquots of small volume, paillettes, which can be used for different laboratory analyses or at different times.

Biological samples are processed using materials resistant to low temperature and simple, highly standardised methods allowing for multiple potential uses of the material. A machine with suction and injection pipes is used to introduce the biological material into each paillette of 0.5 ml and to heat seal both ends of the paillette, thus assuring minimum outside contamination. The paillettes, each with a bar code label and a cap of different colour depending on the biological sample contained, are placed into 12 visotubes of different colours; the visotubes are in turn placed into goblets which are then stored into canisters.

The biological material thus divided is stored into liquid nitrogen containers. A specific software which keeps track of all the stored samples and their location in the containers allows to match the biological bank information with the data bank information.

The cryogenic freezers need to be filled up at regular intervals, depending on the liquid nitrogen containers capacity and the amount of material stored.  

The stored biological samples are used exclusively for research purposes upon consent of the donor. The biological bank is managed in accordance with international recommendations and ethical guidelines as well as national laws.