{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,30]],"date-time":"2026-09-30T18:06:11Z","timestamp":1790791571287,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":14,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"S1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,4,1]],"date-time":"2020-04-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1585699200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,4,30]],"date-time":"2020-04-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1588204800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":29,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Reprod Health"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2020,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Background and objective<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>PRECISE is a population-based, prospective pregnancy cohort study designed for deep phenotyping of pregnancies in women with placenta-related disorders, and in healthy controls. The PRECISE Network is recruiting ~\u200910,000 pregnant women in three countries (The Gambia, Kenya, and Mozambique) representing sub-Saharan Africa. The principal aim is to improve our understanding of pre-eclampsia, fetal growth restriction and stillbirth. This involves the creation of a highly curated biorepository for state of the art discovery science and a rich database of antenatal variables and maternal and neonatal outcomes. Our overarching aim is to provide large sample numbers with adequate power to address key scientific questions. Here we describe our experience of establishing a biorepository in the PRECISE Network and review the issues and challenges surrounding set-up, management and scientific use.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>The feasibility of collecting and processing each sample type was assessed in each setting and plans made for establishing the necessary infrastructure. Quality control (QC) protocols were established to ensure that biological samples are \u2018fit-for-purpose'. The management structures required for standardised sample collection and processing were developed. This included the need for transport of samples between participating countries and to external academic\/commercial institutions.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>Numerous practical challenges were encountered in setting up the infrastructure including facilities, staffing, training, cultural barriers, procurement, shipping and sample storage. Whilst delaying the project, these were overcome by establishing good communication with the sites, training workshops and constant engagement with the necessary commercial suppliers. A Project Executive Committee and Biology Working Group together defined the biospecimens required to answer the research questions paying particular attention to harmonisation of protocols with other cohorts so as to enable cross-biorepository collaboration. Governance structures implemented include a Data and Sample Committee to ensure biospecimens and data will be used according to consent, and prioritisation by scientific excellence. A coordinated sample and data transfer agreement will prevent delay in sample sharing.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>With adequate training and infrastructure, it is possible to establish high quality sample collections to facilitate research programmes such as the PRECISE Network in sub-Saharan Africa. These preparations are pre-requisites for effective execution of a biomarker-based approach to better understand the complexities of placental disease in these settings, and others.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1186\/s12978-020-0874-7","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,4,30]],"date-time":"2020-04-30T09:04:46Z","timestamp":1588237486000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":19,"title":["PRECISE pregnancy cohort: challenges and strategies in setting up a biorepository in sub-Saharan Africa"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"17","author":[{"name":"The PRECISE Network","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rachel","family":"Craik","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Donna","family":"Russell","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rachel M.","family":"Tribe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lucilla","family":"Poston","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Geoffrey","family":"Omuse","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Patricia","family":"Okiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"David","family":"Chege","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mathurin","family":"Diatta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Abdul Karim","family":"Sesay","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Inocencia","family":"Cuamba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carla","family":"Carrilho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Esperan\u00e7a","family":"Sevene","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Meriel","family":"Flint-O\u2019Kane","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Peter","family":"von Dadelszen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,4,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"874_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"von Dadelszen P, et al. The PRECISE (PREgnancy care integrating translational Science, everywhere) protocol. Reprod Health. 2019.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12978-020-0872-9"},{"key":"874_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Magee LA, et al. The PRECISE (PREgnancy care integrating translational Science, everywhere) database: open-access data collection in maternal and newborn health reproductive health; 2019.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12978-020-0873-8"},{"issue":"6190","key":"874_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1346","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1251546","volume":"344","author":"The H3Africa Consortium","year":"2014","unstructured":"The H3Africa Consortium. Enabling the genomic revolution in Africa. Science. 2014;344(6190):1346\u20138.","journal-title":"Science"},{"issue":"4\u20135","key":"874_CR4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"258","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clinbiochem.2014.01.002","volume":"47","author":"M Shabihkhani","year":"2014","unstructured":"Shabihkhani M, et al. The procurement, storage, and quality assurance of frozen blood and tissue biospecimens in pathology, biorepository, and biobank settings. Clin Biochem. 2014;47(4\u20135):258\u201366.","journal-title":"Clin Biochem"},{"issue":"1","key":"874_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1089\/bio.2018.0001","volume":"16","author":"LD Campbell","year":"2018","unstructured":"Campbell LD, et al. The 2018 revision of the ISBER best practices: summary of changes and the editorial Team\u2019s development process. Biopreserv Biobank. 2018;16(1):3\u20136.","journal-title":"Biopreserv Biobank"},{"key":"874_CR6","unstructured":"NCI Best Practices for Biospecimen Resources. 28\/06\/2019; Available from: https:\/\/biospecimens.cancer.gov\/bestpractices\/2016-NCIBestPractices.pdf. Accessed 28 June 2019."},{"issue":"3","key":"874_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"217","DOI":"10.1089\/bio.2017.0113","volume":"16","author":"RO Akinyemi","year":"2018","unstructured":"Akinyemi RO, et al. Biobanking in a Challenging African Environment: Unique Experience from the SIREN Project. Biopreserv Biobank. 2018;16(3):217\u201332.","journal-title":"Biopreserv Biobank"},{"key":"874_CR8","first-page":"1","volume":"4","author":"C Andrews","year":"2018","unstructured":"Andrews C, et al. Development, Evaluation, and Implementation of a Pan-African Cancer Research Network: Men of African Descent and Carcinoma of the Prostate. J Glob Oncol. 2018;4:1\u201314.","journal-title":"J Glob Oncol"},{"issue":"8","key":"874_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0197390","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0197390","volume":"13","author":"AM Munguambe","year":"2018","unstructured":"Munguambe AM, et al. Characterization of strains of Neisseria meningitidis causing meningococcal meningitis in Mozambique, 2014: Implications for vaccination against meningococcal meningitis. PLoS One. 2018;13(8):e0197390.","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"2","key":"874_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"021202","DOI":"10.7189\/jogh.07.021202","volume":"7","author":"AH Baqui","year":"2017","unstructured":"Baqui AH, et al. Understanding biological mechanisms underlying adverse birth outcomes in developing countries: protocol for a prospective cohort (AMANHI bio\u2013banking) study. J Glob Health. 2017;7(2):021202.","journal-title":"J Glob Health"},{"key":"874_CR11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"49","DOI":"10.12688\/gatesopenres.12869.2","volume":"2","author":"SH Kennedy","year":"2019","unstructured":"Kennedy SH, et al. Deep clinical and biological phenotyping of the preterm birth and small for gestational age syndromes: The INTERBIO-21 st Newborn Case-Control Study protocol. Gates Open Res. 2019;2:49.","journal-title":"Gates Open Res"},{"key":"874_CR12","unstructured":"GAPPS Repository collection schedule. Global Alliance to Prevent Prematiruty and Stillbirth; Available from: https:\/\/www.gapps.org\/Home\/AboutBioservices. Accessed 11 Mar 2019."},{"key":"874_CR13","unstructured":"HeLTI. Available from: http:\/\/www.isrctn.com\/ISRCTN13308752. Accessed 28 June 2019."},{"key":"874_CR14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e13","DOI":"10.1017\/gheg.2017.9","volume":"2","author":"P Tindana","year":"2017","unstructured":"Tindana P, et al. Developing the science and methods of community engagement for genomic research and biobanking in Africa. Glob Health Epidemiol Genom. 2017;2:e13.","journal-title":"Glob Health Epidemiol Genom"}],"container-title":["Reproductive Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1186\/s12978-020-0874-7.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1186\/s12978-020-0874-7\/fulltext.html","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1186\/s12978-020-0874-7.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,29]],"date-time":"2021-04-29T23:19:59Z","timestamp":1619738399000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/reproductive-health-journal.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s12978-020-0874-7"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,4]]},"references-count":14,"journal-issue":{"issue":"S1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2020,4]]}},"alternative-id":["874"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12978-020-0874-7","relation":{},"ISSN":["1742-4755"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1742-4755","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,4]]},"assertion":[{"value":"30 April 2020","order":1,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"Approval for the PRECISE study was obtained in King\u2019s College London (Ref HR-17\/18\u20137855), Aga Khan University Hospital (Ref 2018\/REC-74), The Gambia Government\/The Medical Research Council, The Gambia Joint committee (Ref SCC 1619), and the Mozambique Ministry of Health, National Bioethics Committee for Health (545\/CNBS\/18).","order":1,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics approval and consent to participate"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Consent for publication"}},{"value":"The authors declare that they have no competing interests.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Competing interests"}}],"article-number":"54"}}