Prof. Angelo Paradiso, a leading figure in biobanking and former Scientific Director of Istituto Tumori, National Cancer Research Center in Bari, recently shared his expertise in the European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases’ (EJP RD) MOOC on “Innovative Therapies and Personalized Medicine for Rare Disease.”

With three decades of experience in biobank development and management, Prof. Paradiso emphasized the fundamental role of high-quality biosamples in advancing personalized medicine. “Biomarkers represent the cornerstone for precision medicine,” explains Paradiso, “but their analysis requires carefully preserved human biological tissues to obtain reliable biomolecular information.”

As coordinator of significant initiatives including the Italian Virtual National Biobank and the Italian Cancer Biobanks Network (RIBBO), Prof Paradiso highlighted how biobank quality management impacts treatment outcomes. The complex quality chain involves multiple professionals, from clinicians handling patient consent to biobankers ensuring optimal storage conditions at temperatures ranging from +4°C to -178°C.

Prof. Paradiso, who currently holds the chair of New Health Organization Models at the Politecnico di Bari, stressed that biobanks serve as crucial infrastructure in modern healthcare, preserving samples while maintaining strict ethical and legal standards. His international experience, including collaborations with NCI-Bethesda and the Chinese National Academy, provides valuable insights into global best practices in biobanking.