New Zealand Rare Disease Biobank

The New Zealand Rare Disease Biobank exists to promote opportunities for research into rare diseases and seeks to accelerate knowledge that will lead to prevention, treatment and cure.

The biobank is operated by the New Zealand Institute for Rare Disease Research Ltd, in partnership with the principal collaborator, the Pathology Department at the University of Otago. Our principal sponsor is AgResearch.

The first development of our biobank resources is the online "virtual" collection of unique animal models of human genetic diseases, found occasionally to occur naturally in the New Zealand farm animal population. These animal models provide valuable information on the equivalent disease in humans. Recording these models and promoting information about them, with the objective of encouraging further research, is currently the prime activity of the biobank. View the animal models list…

Future plans for our biobank include searching for additional models in our farm population, providing storage facilities for existing animal model material, and the physical collection of material that may be vulnerable to disposal through completion of research projects or investigator's retirement.

Over time we will extend the development of our biobank to include donations of samples from people affected by rare diseases, from their relatives, and from unaffected unrelated individuals. This will provide additional valuable material for study of the disease, comparison to the healthy state, and discovery of causes and effects leading to therapy and cures.