Playing biobank card games: reporting from European Biotech Week 2018

Organising an initiative together with A.Li.Sa., the regional health authority, Ligurian biobanks returned to European Biotech Week this year. Taking place from September 24-30, 2018, the event was a great opportunity for them to promote biobanks and their services and increase public awareness.

The importance of biobanking, networking and international infrastructures such as BBMRI-ERIC were illustrated to the participants, i.e. high-school and university students, health professionals and patient associations, using presentations, videos and an interactive card game.

The game was also presented to high school students within a ‘work-based learning’ experience. A total of 109 players filled in a learning/satisfaction questionnaire. The results showed that 97% of the participants enjoyed playing biobank card games; they understood what a biobank is and its important value for research. Finally, more than 90% of them stated that the card game was an effective way to inform the public about biobanks and their activities.