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The Biggest Disease-based
Biobank Network of Korea

KBN, the largest biobank network in korea, collects, manages, and holds disease-based
human bioresources, i.e. various samples of more than 600,000 individuals.

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KBN Distribution Support Center

The Center provides human bioresources, and clinical and epidemiological information
held by KBN biobanks nationwide and actively supports the distribution.

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KBN Provides On-line Searching Database
and Operates
Distribution Support Center

Researchers conduct KBN human bioresource search, while the distribution support
center
provides services customized to individual users.

About us

KBN Portal

The Korea Biobank Network’s Human Bioresource Sharing and Access Platform, established in 2019, aims to expand the accessibility of the disease-based bioresources collected through KBN and develop a system to collect high-quality standard clinical information, thereby establishing a distribution support system tailored to researchers.

The KBN portal is the largest shared open platform for disease-based resource owned by KBN biobanks involved in KDCA(Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency) KBP(Korea Biobank Project). It discloses and shares related information including disease-based resource status, systematic search, efficient distribution, and utilization outcomes to researchers in order to improve the efficient utilization of national disease-based resources.

Structure

Structure is organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare(Division of Bioethics Policy), the KDCA Korea National Institute of Health(Division of Biobank, Department of precision Medicine), KBN Biobanks.

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Ministry of Health and Welfare (Division of Bioethics Policy)

▣ Overall management of National bioethics policy

▣ Korea Biobank Project related system support

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KDCA KNIH (Division of Biobank, Department of precision Medicine)

▣ KBN management (National Biobank of Korea management)

▣ Collection, management, and distribution of large-scale population-based human bioresources

▣ Human bioresource management standardization and technology development

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Human Bioresource Regional Banks

▣ Collection, management, and distribution of disease-based human bioresources

▣ Organiztion and operation of Korea Biobank Council

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KBN (Korea Biobank Network)

Korea Biobank
Project

In 2021, Korea Biobank Project(KBP) Phase 4. The KBN reorganized as a pan-national system with the selection of new biobank partners.

The Phase 4 Project include initiative of collaborative subnetworks for specific disease-targeted future biobanking(n=10) and biobank innovation consortia for biomedical and healthcare research(n=2). 

National Biobank of Korea

Collaborative subnetworks for specific disease-targeted future biobanking

Biobank innovation consortia for biomedical and healthcare research

Current Status (as of December 31, 2022)

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Collection
participants

663,254

vials

9,062,621

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Distribution
studies

3215

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Utilization
papers

948

patents

116

Distribution procedure

Procedure

KBN Human bioresources application procedure for distribution.

KBN distributes the collected human bioresources to researchers for domestic healthcare R&D. For access to, researcher(s) residing in Korea and carrying out a research project that has obtained IRB approval(or exemption) can apply for access to human bioresource distribution, and if approved by the Access and Sharing Committee, the bioresources are released.

1

Search of human
bioresources for
distribution

Search for human bioresources
status on the KBN Portal
(Human Resources Search Page) 
2

Inquiry of human
bioresources for
distribution

Check the availability of
resources available for
distribution through KBN
distribution support center
3

Application for
distribution

Fill out and submit the
distribution application
form through the KBN
Portal
4

Distribution of
bioresources

The biobank reviews
the documents on the
application for distribution
and decides whether to
distribute or not
5

Submission of
achievements

Results and outcomes
achieved using the
distributed resources,
if any, should be informed
KBN Portal within three
months after the
achievement 

KBN Biobanks - targeted diseases

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The Catholic University of Korea,
Seoul ST. Mary's Hospital
tarket

Allergic disease, Normal group

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The Catholic University of Korea,
Yeouido ST. Mary's Hospital
tarket

Allergic disease, Normal group

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The Catholic University of Korea,
Uijeongbu ST. Mary's Hospital
tarket

Colorectal cancer, Gynecological tumor, Skin cancer

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The Catholic University of Korea,
Bucheon ST. Mary's Hospital
tarket

Brain tumor, Ovarian cancer,
Endometrial cancer, Lung cancer,
Placenta, etc

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The Catholic University of Korea,
Eunpyung ST. Mary's Hospital
tarket

Allergic disease, Normal group

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The Catholic University of Korea,
Incheon ST. Mary's Hospital
tarket

Health Control, Placenta

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The Catholic University of Korea,
ST. Vincent's Hospital
tarket

Allergic disease, Normal group

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The Catholic University of Korea,
Deajeon ST. Mary's Hospital
tarket

Allergic disease, Normal group

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Kyungpook National University
Hospital
tarket

Inflammatory bowel disease,
Breast and female reproductive
diseases, Colorectal cancer,
Dysplasia of the large intestine

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Inje University Busan Paik Hospital
tarket

Inflammatory bowel disease,
Breast and female reproductive
diseases

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Gyeongsang National University
Hospital
tarket

Inflammatory bowel disease,
Urological tumor disease,
Preterm infant, Childhood and
adolescent disease, Coronary
artery disease

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Keimyung University Dongsan
Medical Center
tarket

Endocrine metabolic disease,
Inflammatory bowel disease,
Liver disease, Urological tumor
disease

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Seoul National University Hospital
tarket

Kidney disease, Liver disease

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Keimyung University Dongsan
Medical Center
tarket

Endocrine metabolic disease,
Inflammatory bowel disease,
Liver disease, Urological tumor
diseases

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Kangwon National University Hospital
tarket

Oncotic disease, Non-tumor disease, Cancer,
Kidney disease, Respiratory disease,
Cerebropathia, Nervous system disease

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Seoul National University
Dental Hospital
tarket

Oral disease

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Office of Research Affairs University
Industry Foundation Yonsei University
tarket

Oral disease

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Apple tree Medical Foundation
tarket

Oral disease

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Pusan National University
Dental Hospital
tarket

Oral disease

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Asan Medical Center
tarket

Pancreatic cancer,
Cholangiocarcinoma, Lung cancer,
Ovarian cancer

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Seoul National University
Bundang Hospital
tarket

Health Control, Lung cancer, etc.

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CHA University Bundang Medical Center
tarket

Ovarian cancer

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Soonchunhyang University
Bucheon Hospital
tarket

Asthma, COPD, ILD

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Ewha Woman's University
Mokdong Hospital
tarket

Asthma, COPD, ILD

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Hallym University Dongtan Sacred
heart hospital
tarket

Asthma, COPD, ILD

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Ajou University Hospital
tarket

Liver cancer, Cirrhosis of the liver,
Chronic hepatitis, Liver disease,
Normal group, Chronic
cerebrovascular disease, etc.

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Keimyung University Dongsan
Medical Center
tarket

Endocrine metabolic disease,
Inflammatory bowel disease,
Liver disease, Urological tumor
disease

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Seoul National University
Bundang Hospital
tarket

Normal group, Lung cancer, etc.

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Seoul National University Hospital
tarket

Kidney disease, Liver disease

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Inje University Busan Paik Hospital
tarket

Inflammatory bowel disease,
Breast and female genital diseases

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Inha University Hospital
tarket

Breast and female genital diseases

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Pusan National University Hospital
tarket

Breast and female genital diseases

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Dong-A University Hospital
tarket

Colorectal cancer, Lung cancer,
Liver cancer, Breast cancer,
Female genital diseases

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Kyungpook National University Hospital
tarket

Inflammatory bowel disease,
Breast and female genital diseases,
Colorectal cancer, Dysplasia of the
large intestine

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Chungbuk National University Hospital
tarket

Health Control, Prostate cancer,
Bladder cancer, Renal cancer

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Gyeongsang National University
Hospital
tarket

Inflammatory bowel disease,
Urological tumor disease,
Preterm infant, Childhood and
adolescent disease,
Coronary artery disease

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Jeju National University Hospital
tarket

Health Control

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Keimyung University Dongsan
Medical Center
tarket

Endocrine metabolic disease,
Inflammatory bowel disease,
Liver disease, Urological tumor
disease

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Chonnam National University
Hwasun Hospital
tarket

Lung cancer, Colorectal cancer,
Liver cancer, Gastric cancer,
Breast cancer, Leukemia,
Brain tumor

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Inje University Busan Paik Hospital
tarket

Colorectal cancer, Breast cancer,
Lung cancer, Gastric cancer, etc.

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Jeonbuk National University Hospital
tarket

Leukemia, Brain tumor, Lung
cancer, Colorectal cancer,
Liver cancer, Gastric cancer, Breast cancer

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National Cancer Center
tarket

Sarcoma cancer

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Ajou University Industry-Academic
Cooperation Foundation
tarket

Chronic cerebrovascular disease

BIOBANKS

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