Toward Professionalism of Biobanking in China: A Survey on Working Status, Career Development, Challenges, and Prospects of Biobankers.

Biobanking has become an increasingly important activity to provide resources for medical research support. In China, establishing and maintaining a biobank have been the latest trend in a research hospital. However, biobanking is still an emerging young field in terms of professionalization and professionalism. The development of professionalization in biobanking faces many challenges involving the development of skills, identities, norms, and values associated with becoming part of a professional group. Biobanking professionals (i.e., biobankers) are the most important factor and driving force toward professionalization in biobanking. To better understand biobankers' performance, needs, concerns, and career development, we conducted two comprehensive surveys among biobankers in China in 2019 and 2021, respectively. The questionnaires covered four major areas: (1) basic information and the status of biobankers; (2) job performance evaluation, salary, recognitions, rewards, and so on; (3) occupational training and career development; and (4) challenges and prospects and so on. The surveys revealed that most biobankers in China have positive working attitudes and a high desire for their future career development, but due to the uncertain evaluation mechanisms and promotion routes, etc., the participants were more optimistic about biobanking development compared to the biobanker's career development (77.0% and 57.4% respectively in 2021, p < 0.05). The biobankers expected more training opportunities and salary packages. Because biobankers are an integral factor and driving force to ensure the successful biobanking operation and advancement, the survey data analysis revealed interesting findings and references for the development of professionalism in biobanking. This survey will provide first-hand information to governments, biobank management teams, and the general public to further support, promote, or optimize (1) biobanking operation and sustainability, (2) biobankers' career development, (3) biobank management and quality control, and (4) strategic plans and approaches to establish a higher quality professional team of biobankers.

Transmembrane Water Transport and Intracellular Ice Formation of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells During Freezing.

Long-term cryopreservation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) is important and beneficial for a variety of biomedical research and applications. In this study, we investigated HUVEC's cryobiological characteristics and parameters that are indispensable for predicting and determining an optimal cooling rate to prevent lethal intracellular ice formation (IIF) and severe cell dehydration during the cryopreservation processes. The parameters include cell membrane hydraulic conductivity (i.e., cell membrane water permeability), Lp, cell membrane water permeability activation energy, Elp, and osmotically inactive volume of a cell Vb. Cryomicroscopy was used to study the IIF phenomena and cell volume excursion at various cooling rates, 1, 10, and 20°C/min, respectively, based on which the cryobiological parameters were determined using biophysical and mathematical models. Results from this research work laid an important cryobiological foundation for the optimization of HUVEC's cryopreservation conditions.