January 12, 2012. The VR Foundation is proud to announce an opening of the dedicated Vitiligo BioBank - a repository of genetic material from patients and related unaffected individuals, together with associated health records. It currently holds 150+ samples, including 75+ DNA profiles, with scheduled weekly additions.
The Vitiligo BioBank aims to promote coordinated large-scale biomarker discovery and validation, facilitate the identification of susceptibility genes, environmental and lifestyle factors and etiological pathways for vitiligo, and aid the design of treatments for this disease.
A range of study designs can be used to investigate various types of relationships between exposures to different environmental factors, predisposed genetic factors and the risk of disease. Clinical case & control studies may be used to discover or validate genetic and non-genetic risk factors. These may or may not have an added longitudinal perspective, for assessing the natural occurrence and progression of vitiligo and for classifying its subcategories.
Other plans for Vitiligo BioBank also include providing storage facilities for hair follicles, co-morbid diseases material, and the physical collection of material that may be vulnerable to disposal through completion of research projects or investigator's retirement.
Over time we will extend the development of our BioBank to include donations of samples from people affected by vitiligo, from their relatives, and from unaffected unrelated individuals.
The Vitiligo BioBank is operated by the Center For Innovative Biotechnologies ALLELE based in Moscow, Russia. Importantly, it will work with the active participation of the Vitinomics.net patients’ community, and share benefits with them.
For detailed information about opportunities for research collaboration, we suggest you make direct contact with Chief Scientific Director Dr. Igor Korobko at i.korobko@vrfoundation.org
Business or administration matters of the BioBank should be referred to the CEO Yan Valle at yan@vrfoundation.org
