LiCONiC at Helmholz, Munich

Largest sample storage in Germany

21 Million samples
The largest gene samples cryostorage system in Germany was inaugurated in The Helmholtz Zentrum München.
2018-08-30
21 million samples of blood, urine or saliva are collected in the "Nako Biorepository". Samples are stored in huge, fully automated tanks frozen at -80 or -180°C. So far there are 11 million and stored during last 5 years.
The origin of this project takes place in NAKO Health Study, the largest long-term population study in Germany. Study, which is funded by the federal government and research institutions is trying to find an answer to a question which factors contribute to the development of a certain disease. Until mid 2019, 200 000 Germans aged 20-69 will be medically examined including using a whole-body MRI.

That's why the biorepository in Munich was created. Around two-thirds of all biosamples in the NAKO study are to be stored here for thirty years. The new building in Munich has two storage systems. First - a square, about 5 meters long freezer in which 2.7 million samples can be stored at -80. Second one consisting of large hall 23 nitrogen tanks is located in a new building. Each of them can accommodate 1 million biosamples - stored at -180°C. The whole sampling refrigerator will be run only by a computer system.
Source: LiCONiC press materials
More on the web:
See the video on YouTube
www.tagesspiegel.de
www.t-online.de
www.welt.de
www.schwaebische.de
www.sueddeutsche.de
www.welt.de
www.welt.de
www.mittelbayerische.de
www.med-kolleg.de
www.journalmed.de
www.aerzteblatt.de
www.br.de
www.aerztezeitung.de
www.bayern.de