Current progress at the biobank: We are very excited to tell you about a major milestone! The biobank has delivered results that might predict the risk for certain diseases to more than 500 participants.

Biobanking 101: When you learn about how biobanking works, you have a greater appreciation for the vital role you play in moving scientific discovery forward. You also help pave the way for personalized medicine.

What is biobanking? Biobanking includes collecting, storing and managing biological samples for research purposes. Our biobank focuses on DNA samples that are collected from blood or saliva. Other biobanks might include different kinds of samples such as tissue, cells or hair. Biobanks often combine data from these samples with electronic health records to give researchers a full database of information.

>Learn more about how our biobank works

Why is biobanking important? 

• The strength of biobanks is in their numbers. Biobanks play a very important role in advancing medical research. They give researchers the ability to easily carry out large-scale studies and come to meaningful findings.

• The strength of biobanks is in their diversity. Biobanks are in a unique position because they include underrepresented and diverse populations. This helps to ensure equity in research. By gathering and recording a wide range of genetic, demographic and lifestyle data, biobanks let researchers look for differences in health outcomes (health disparities). This can help make more inclusive health care solutions that benefit people in every community.

Some stories about how the biobank influences health care and research today:

>Biobank's personalized medicine unearths disease risk.

>For some people, their genes and their cancer drugs don't mix. A Colorado center is trying to fix that.

>Crunching numbers in your genes: How polygenic risk scores shape your health forecast.