HealthAugust 9, 2026
biobank
BY-oh-bank
Definition
A large-scale repository or collection of biological samples, such as patient-derived organoids or tissues, preserved for research purposes.
Etymology
A compound of 'bio-' (from Greek 'bios', meaning life) and 'bank' (from Old Italian 'banca', meaning a bench or counter where money was exchanged). It emerged in the late 20th century to describe modern repositories for biological research material.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe a collection of 256 clinically annotated organoids used by researchers to map cancer gene dependencies. It serves as a vital resource for systematic study across multiple cancer types.
Adrian Lee: 3 New Papers Set to Transform Organoid-Based Precision Oncology
Read the full article ↗Oncodaily