Celebrating its first anniversary, the Lithuanian Population and Rare Diseases Biobank, which is building a unique collection of biological samples from the Lithuanian population for medical research, is sharing its first results. During the first year of operation, more than one thousand Lithuanian residents donated blood to the biobank, from which more than 30,000 samples were created. More than another thousand people have already registered to donate blood in the near future. On March 31, marking the biobank’s first birthday, managers and employees of Nasdaq Vilnius Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Technology and Business Competence Center in Vilnius also donated their blood samples.
Blood samples and other health-related data collected by the Lithuanian Population and Rare Diseases Biobank will be used for disease treatment, prevention, and the development of personalized medicine. The only population-based biobank in the country, together with disease-focused biobanks operating in Lithuania, is part of the European Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure (BBMRI-ERIC) and was established at the Faculty of Medicine of Vilnius University.
Head of the Population Biobank: Participants Should Be Proud
According to Dr. Giedrė Kvedaravičienė, Head of the Lithuanian Population and Rare Diseases Biobank, the first participants have laid very important foundations for the further growth of the population biobank and the advancement of medical science.
“This is just the beginning, the first steps toward major developments, but even this is enough for us to engage as equal partners in important medical research processes. We have already received applications to launch the first scientific studies and are beginning to draw initial insights from the data collected so far. I have no doubt that the importance of the population biobank will continue to grow, and that the data accumulated here can fundamentally change our medicine and healthcare system. Therefore, the first thousand residents who have already donated blood and become the first participants and ambassadors of the biobank should be very proud of their decision. The whole society should be proud of them,” says Dr. Kvedaravičienė.
The long-term goal of the Lithuanian Population and Rare Diseases Biobank is to build a collection of blood samples that represents as large a share of society as possible. Scientists can use these samples and related health data like a library for their medical research. In addition, biobanks help ensure the consistent accumulation of research data, its further use, and the growth of value for science and society.
According to Dr. Kvedaravičienė, the more residents join the population biobank, the greater the benefits we will all receive through a more advanced healthcare system based on the principles of personalized medicine and disease prevention. However, this is a long-term process that may take not just several years, but a decade or even longer.
The initial target set by the population biobank was to reach 10,000 participants within five years of its establishment. During the first year of operation, after setting up all key processes and starting sample collection, the number of participants reached 11% of this initial target. Dr. Kvedaravičienė has no doubt that this is only the beginning: public engagement continues to grow, and not only individuals or families, but also companies and organizations are joining the biobank as groups.
Nasdaq Vilnius Invites the Public to Invest in Their Health with a Symbolic Bell Ring
On the occasion of the first anniversary of the Lithuanian Population and Rare Diseases Biobank, the teams of Nasdaq Vilnius Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Technology and Business Competence Center in Vilnius joined the biobank participants by taking part in a blood donation initiative. The biobank’s first birthday was also marked by a symbolic stock exchange bell ring, inviting the public to invest in their health.
During the initiative, blood samples were also donated to the population biobank by Gediminas Varnas, President of Nasdaq Vilnius Stock Exchange.
“At the stock exchange, we often talk about investing, but today we want to remind everyone that the most important investment starts with ourselves. By joining the population biobank, we invest in scientific progress, more advanced medicine, and a healthier future for society as a whole. I am pleased that the Nasdaq Vilnius team can be part of this initiative and encourage others to contribute by example,” said G. Varnas.
According to Dr. Giedrė Kvedaravičienė, Director of the Lithuanian Population and Rare Diseases Biobank, the participation of Nasdaq Vilnius—the only operator of a regulated secondary securities market in Lithuania—in the population biobank has both symbolic and practical significance.
“The population biobank, like the stock exchange, is about investing and growing long-term value—just in a slightly different way: investing in one’s own health, the health of loved ones, and the health of society as a whole. By becoming biobank participants, it is as if we acquire shares whose dividends will come in the form of more advanced medicine tailored to the health characteristics of the Lithuanian population, and scientific research that creates real value. We are therefore very pleased with this initiative by the Nasdaq Vilnius team and hope it will encourage other organizations in both the private and public sectors to join the biobank as well,” says Dr. Kvedaravičienė.
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Vilnius University, Prof. Dalius Jatužis, notes that by donating blood samples to the biobank, residents demonstrate care for their own health and that of their loved ones. He therefore encouraged those who have not yet done so to take this important step and contribute to the advancement of medical science and the healthcare system.
“The population biobank provides a unique opportunity for every resident to directly contribute to the progress of medical science. This is not an abstract idea, but a concrete tool that enables every citizen to take part in creating more effective and more individualized medicine. As life expectancy increases, biobank data helps us seek answers on how to ensure not only longevity, but also better quality of life—staying healthy longer, preventing diseases, or treating them more effectively. Therefore, the population biobank is a meaningful investment in a healthier society—an investment whose benefits we will all be able to feel over time,” says Prof. D. Jatužis.
Approximately 30 Samples Are Created from Each Participant’s Blood
The population biobank aims to build a biological sample collection that represents the entire Lithuanian population. Therefore, all residents—both adults and children—are invited to become participants by donating a blood sample.
Residents wishing to join the biobank are invited to register on the population biobank’s website. Blood donation can be done by visiting the biobank located at the Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine’s Medical Science Center, or at partner laboratories.
The blood collection procedure for the population biobank is quick and simple: the amount of blood taken is similar to that of routine preventive blood tests. Approximately 30 small samples are prepared from each participant’s blood and stored in special freezers at around –80°C.
“Although we are still gaining momentum in terms of numbers and active sample collection has only just begun, the first year of the population biobank was extremely important. During this time, we established and streamlined core operational processes, built a strong foundation, and accumulated valuable experience. We made particularly significant progress in data management, processing, and standardization. It is also encouraging that our progress and growing competencies are being noticed and recognized by colleagues working in the field of health innovation across Europe—we are increasingly invited to expert discussions on the use of population data for early diagnostics, chronic disease risk assessment, and the development of personalized prevention. Thus, while the only population biobank in our country continues to grow and we move closer to our first important milestone of 10,000 participants, intensive work is underway to build competencies and knowledge in other key areas that will ensure the long-term value of the population biobank for both science and society,” says Dr. Giedrė Kvedaravičienė.