Head: Prof. Bertrand Fontaine
Founded in 1996 by the AFM, Myobank-AFM is a non-profit service that collects, prepares, stores and distributes biological resources of human fluids and tissues.
To help researchers and advance knowledge, the AFM-Téléthon has created a tissue bank for research purposes – Myobank-AFM at the Institute of Myology. This biological resource centre (a centre of medical-scientific expertise devoted to muscle) is intended for exclusive use in research, with respect for the fundamental rights of the human person.
Myobank-AFM is based at the Plateforme Commune de Ressources Biologiques located at theHôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, as part of a partnership between patients’ associations and Assistance publique – Hôpitaux de Paris.
The biological resources of human fluids and tissues come mainly from people with neuromuscular or rare diseases, but also from healthy subjects in order to provide a batch of ‘control’ material. This biological material is intended for “in vitro” studies to supplement the knowledge acquired prior to “in vivo” clinical exploration.
The service is available on request to all research teams in France and abroad.
Researchers area - Questing biological resources and services « tissue and/or fluid »
Access to biological resources
- Analysis of the research project following the request made
- Advice from Myobank’s Scientific Advisory Board
- Organisation and transfer of biological resources
The biological resources hosted for scientific research represent more than 30,000 samples.
| Type of biological resources | Pathologies |
| Skeletal muscle, heart muscle, skin “mainly surgical residues from treatment” and fluids | Neuromuscular diseases (Duchenne muscular dystrophy; spinal muscular atrophy; facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, rare myopathies and controls). |
Download the request for biological resources or services form (V07 – April 2024)
Download the MYOBANK-AFM charter (V13 – PDF)
Sampling
Tissue and fluid samples are taken by doctors.
The following are collected
- surgical residues, collected after surgery with the patient’s consent
- samples taken as part of a defined clinical research protocol, in compliance with the Huriet law
- Surplus biopsies taken for diagnostic purposes
- A volume of blood fluid as part of treatment
Tissues and fluids: preparation, use and storage
Biological resources are packaged according to their intended use and following validated protocols.
The various preparations carried out on Myobank-AFM’s premises include :
- Freezing in Isopentane for morphological studies,
- Direct nitrogen freezing for biochemical studies,
- Preparation in a specific medium for RNA studies (RNA Later®),
- Preparation in specific media for electron microscopy,
- Specific centrifugation for ‘serum-plasma’ fluids, biomarker studies.
- Cryopreservation in specific media for cell culture.
The GBC© database ensures traceability and transmission of information concerning the sample.
Storage or transport
At the request of researchers, Myobank-AFM can also store samples and reserve them for them.
The choice of transport method is based on security criteria and respect for preservation conditions.
The Myobank Quality Approach
Myobank’s certification process is part of a strong trend towards structuring and professionalising Biological Resource Centres (BRCs) at national and international level, particularly since 2001, when the OECD published an official definition of BRCs. The management of biological resources for research purposes requires a very precise regulatory, ethical and scientific framework.
Myobank was certified to NF S 96-900 (‘Quality of Biological Resource Centres (BRCs) – BRC management system and quality of biological resources’) between 2012 and July 2024. The current quality management system is based on NF EN ISO 20387:2020 (‘Biotechnology – Biobanking – General requirements for biobanking’).
Myobank-AFM approvals
- Authorisation for the collection, preservation and preparation of elements of the human body with a view to their transfer for scientific use: the Myobank-AFM tissue bank obtained this authorisation in December 2019 for 5 years, from the Ministry of Higher Education and Research.
- Collection of samples of biological fluids during standard care for exploratory research studies into neuromuscular diseases. The CPP Tours has given a favourable opinion”. The collection project has been validated until 2028.
- Authorisation to manage automated files: to ensure perfect traceability of samples and management of collaborations, Myobank-AFM has developed software specifically for the activities of a biological resource centre. The use of this software has been authorised following a positive opinion from the Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés, in particular for the management of donor consent.
Collaborations
Myobank-AFM is one of the divisions of the Association Institut de Myologie, an interactive platform between the clinic and research.
Myobank-AFM is affiliated to the Plateforme de Ressources Biologiques de l’Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière and therefore works closely with the hospital departments of the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris.
Myobank-AFM is a member of the European biological materials network, Eurobiobank (www.eurobiobank.org), which currently has 25 members, including 22 banks in 9 European countries as well as Israel and Canada.
Specific collaboration cell cultures of myoblasts and fibroblasts or the immortalisation of these cells can be carried out in collaboration with MYOBANK-AFM partners, in particular with Genethon’s Cell Bank (BADN) and the Myoline platform of the Myology Research Centre.
Patient area - Making a tissue donation during surgery
We need your help
Do you or your child suffer from a neuromuscular disease and have scheduled surgery? You can help research into your disease by authorising us to collect, via your surgeon, tissues considered to be “surgical residues” and which are normally incinerated during surgery. Thanks to this donation, Myobank-AFM will make tissues available to research teams for strictly scientific purposes.
It’s very simple to take part
- Contact us 72 hours before the operation.
- Myobank-AFM will then contact your doctor and take care of all the necessary steps to ensure that the collection is a success.
Without your involvement and consent, we cannot collect tissue. We are counting on you to help us advance research.
Team members
Prof. Bertrand Fontaine, PU-PH, Sorbonne University, AP-HP, Scientific director of Myobank
Stéphane VASSEUR, Operations & quality manager
Maud CHAPART-LECLERT, Research assistant
Maya Ould Said, Quality Engineer
Scientific Advisory Board
Myobank’s Scientific Advisory Board assesses research projects and provides advice and guidance on scientific and technical issues. Its members are
Serge Braun: Scientific Director of AFM-Téléthon
Bertrand Fontaine: Medical & Scientific Director of the Institute of Myology
Anthony Béhin: Neurologist at the Neuro-Myology Service of the Institute of Myology
Contact MYOBANK-AFM
Do you have a suggestion, complaint or question? Please fill in this form with as much detail as possible so that we can process your request quickly and efficiently. If you need help filling in this form, please contact us at myobank-afm@institut-myologie.org.
