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As part of its commitment to supporting research collaboration and exchanging expertise in the fields of biobanking and biomedical sciences,  Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI) participated in the First Arab Biobank Collaborative Network Conference (ABCON 2025), held on July 16-17, 2025, at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. The event brought together a number of research institutions, universities, medical centers, and organizations from various Arab countries.

The institute was represented at the conference by Prof. Ahmed Abdel Aziz, Acting Director of TBRI, accompanied by a distinguished group of the institute’s professors and researchers specializing in biobanking, genetics, immunology, and regenerative medicine. Among them were Dr. Mona Zohairy, Principal Investigator of the Biobank Center of Excellence at TBRI; Dr. Iman El-Ahwany, Head of the Immunology and Therapeutic Evaluation Division and Technical Director of the Biobank Center; and Dr. Hoda Abou Taleb, Professor of Biostatistics at the Environmental Research Department. The delegation also included a number of promising young researchers from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Dr. Safia Samir El-Naggar, Dr. Hend Okasha Ahmed, Dr. Omnia Ali Mohamed, and Dr. Fatma Hassan; and from the Department of Immunology: Dr. Lamiaa Nabil Madkour and Dr. Arwa Abdallah Mansi.

In a statement on the sidelines of the conference, Dr. Ahmed Abdel Aziz emphasized that the institute’s participation in this distinguished scientific event aligns with its strategy to strengthen its pivotal role in supporting the biobanking sector. He pointed out that biobanks today represent one of the fundamental pillars in advancing medical and therapeutic research due to their significant contribution to fields such as genomics and personalized medicine. These biobanks have become key to both diagnostics and treatment. TBRI is working towards developing an advanced infrastructure in this area, providing researchers with access to high-quality biological resources and data that serve studies on chronic and rare diseases.

He further noted that this conference serves as a vital platform for knowledge exchange and building effective Arab partnerships that enhance the use of biobanks in scientific research and personalized medicine. He reaffirmed TBRI’s commitment to actively participating in regional and international initiatives related to this field.

It is worth noting that the Biobank Center of Excellence at TBRI has joined the Biobank Network affiliated with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). These biobanks contribute to transforming precise data—whether biological, social, or demographic—into effective tools for developing modern methods for early detection and treatment. TBRI’s liver diseases biobank is a prime example of this approach, contributing to studies on conditions such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and liver cancer by linking high-quality clinical data with advanced genetic and molecular technologies.

Currently, the center collects and stores serum, plasma, and DNA samples from liver patients, meticulously cataloging these samples to ensure traceability and quality control. This enables researchers to analyze these samples to identify specific genetic mutations associated with various liver diseases. Long-term sample storage facilitates 0longitudinal studies that allow researchers to track changes over time, such as disease progression or treatment response. Additionally, the center contributes to drug development by providing samples for preclinical testing, playing a significant role in pharmacogenomics and the design of treatments tailored to individual genetic profiles (“Personalized Medicine”). This integration of data and samples supports the development of more accurate diagnostic tools, ensures access to suitable treatments, and offers opportunities for disease prevention and complication mitigation, ultimately enhancing the efficiency of healthcare systems and transforming approaches to managing chronic and complex diseases.

TBRI’s participation in the First Arab Biobank Collaborative Network Conference (ABCON 2025) reflects its ongoing efforts to expand the horizons of scientific collaboration and keep pace with the latest advancements in biobank sample storage and analysis technologies, ultimately serving the medical and research communities in Egypt and the Arab region.