The SBIMB BioBank is situated at 9 Jubilee Road in Parktown, Johannesburg and is hosted by the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, a Wits 21st Century Institute. It is housed in a newly renovated building. We aim to ensure high quality and quantity of DNA samples are obtained, to facilitate future collaborative research.
The storage laboratory houses DNA as well as blood samples collected from various university collaborative research projects. The SBIMB Biobank also has storage capacity at the Clinical Laboratory Services in Braamfontein for storage of urine, plasma, serum and microbiome samples.
Automated DNA extraction platforms equip this facility to extract DNA from buffy coats or saliva using a Chemagic 360 extraction and/or the GenePure extraction system.
A separate PCR laboratory complements this platform by providing all the necessary equipment for pre- and post-PCR procedures. This research laboratory has the capacity for genotyping, real-time PCR and Next Generation Sequencing on the iSeq Illumina platform. Ultra low-temperature freezers (-86°C) and 4°C storage fridges are monitored and regularly checked to ensure the integrity of all samples.
The SBIMB Biobank was awarded ethics approval by the University of the Witwatersrand's Human Research Ethics Committee in November 2020 and is valid for 5 years.
