Biobanks - Researchers Develop Standards for Organization and Quality Assurance: Biobanks are considered an internationally sought-after key resource for researching the complex molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of diseases with hereditary components. To ensure that these valuable collections of materials remain scientifically usable in the long term, a general guideline for the organization and quality assurance in the establishment and operation of biobanks has been developed within the TMF as part of a comprehensive biobanking project. Following the publication of the legal opinion on the establishment and operation of biobanks in 2006, the research community now has access to a practical implementation guide with the fifth volume of the TMF publication series, which supports users in both setting up a new quality management system and adapting an existing one.