The Généthon DNA and Cell Bank and the Tissue Bank of the Institute of Myology, Myobank-AFM are biobanks (banks which consist of samples of biological materials) which make tissues, cells, or human DNA available to scientists for their research.

Both created by AFM, the Généthon DNA and Cell Bank (in 1990) and Myobank-AFM/Institute of Myology (in 1996 at the La Pitié Salpetrière hospital in Paris), consist of biologic resources from completely voluntary and anonymous donations, most of the time from persons affected with neuromuscular disorders or other rare genetic diseases.

Since 1997 the activities of the Généthon bank have diversified. Besides collecting blood and DNA from patients with genetic diseases and stocking the samples for use in research, the activities of the bank have been oriented towards the provision of services such as DNA extraction, establishment of cell lines, etc.). “We make our savoir-faire available to our users at cost, such as the Institut Curie for cancer, for example”, says Safa Saker-Delye, head of the Généthon DNA and Cell Bank.

The specificity of Myobank is that it works in direct contact with the clinicians. Collaborations are carried out directly on the spot. “We have a rather atypical structure,” explains Maud Chapart who, with Stéphane Vasseur, directs Myobank-AFM. “At Myobank we are the ones who contact the surgeons. We spend 50% of our time on the spot, meeting the medical practicioners and physician-scientists, in order to find the samples. This is the main difference from the Généthon bank, which receives the samples directly from the physician-scientists.”