Residents of the Free State have long been under-represented in biobanks and biomedical research, but the recently established biobank at the University of the Free State (UFS) will change this by ensuring research better reflects the communities it serves.
The Faculty of Health Sciences Biobank will also help train the next generation of clinician-scientists, the facility said in a statement.
The initiative, a structured and ethically governed facility that collects, processes, stores, and manages human biological samples, including blood and DNA, is expected to improve the understanding of disease patterns in the province and contribute to the development of diagnostics and treatments tailored to local health needs.
Dr Claire Barrett, Head of Research and Development in the UFS School of Clinical Medicine, said the biobank focuses particularly on longitudinal data and biological samples that are preserved under strict quality and ethical standards to support both current and future research. It is built on strong governance, ethical oversight, and transparency, recognising that participants entrust researchers with something deeply personal, she added.
Prof Vasu Reddy, UFS Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, said: “At the heart of the biobank are the people of the Free State who choose to contribute their samples for research. Their generosity makes discovery possible and creates opportunities to improve health for future generations.”
She said the biobank creates an important bridge between science and society – linking biological samples with clinical data to produce research that is locally relevant and globally significant.
The facility supports research projects within the Faculty of Health Sciences as well as collaborations with national and international partners. Current research interests include nutrition and health, as well as chronic lifestyle-related diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, dyslipidaemia, and chronic respiratory conditions.
The biobank will also contribute to studies of complex non-communicable diseases that involve interactions between genetics, immunity, and environmental factors.
In addition, the platform will support oncology research, particularly molecular and epidemiological studies.
Other areas include genetic and molecular research on disease, population health and biomarker discovery, population data science, genomic and precision medicine, and modelling of disease pathways and risk.
Improving representation
Barrett said biobanks are increasingly recognised as essential infrastructure for modern biomedical research. Collecting biological samples can be costly and difficult, but systematic and responsible storage ensures that valuable materials can be used to answer multiple research questions over time.
Historically, biological samples collected for research were often stored in individual laboratories with varying standards of documentation, storage, and governance. A centralised biobank introduces standardised collection and storage procedures, ethical governance structures, long-term preservation of samples, and controlled access for ethically approved research.
“The long-term vision is to establish the UFS Biobank as a recognised research platform supporting both local and international collaboration,” said Barrett.
Issued by the University of the Free State