Due to advances in biomedical research and the complete
sequencing of the human genome, geneticists can now provide
biomedical researchers with a wider variety of disease information
than before, thus aiding them to carry out more in-depth research
on disease-causing mechanisms. Numerous countries have already 
begun constructing their own Biobanks with the goal of creating a
large population-based cohort database containing genetic and
other medical information. It is therefore highly beneficial for
Taiwan to construct a Biobank specific for the local population, 
as it would enable large scale cohort studies to be carried out for
common diseases occurring locally in Taiwan. 

Many issues will surface and will need to be addressed during
the construction of the Taiwan Biobank. These issues include
ethical and social considerations, as well as epidemiological 
issues, including sample storage/management and data processing
and analysis. Since these encompass multiple professional fields, 
the construction of Biobank will be carried out by four different
sections, namely Medical Genetics (MG), Ethical, Legal and Social 
Issues (ELSI), Bio-Information Technology (Bio-IT), and Industrial
Development (ID). These four sections will be coordinated by the
Taiwan Biobank Core Office to work in synchrony.

The most important goal of this plan is to establish the basis 
for the Taiwan Biobank and to draw up a practical blueprint for its 
continual development. The expected results will, in turn, lead to 
a better understanding of the driving forces behind common diseases
and allow more effective disease prevention and treatment, 
ultimately leading to reduced consumption of medical resources and 
an improvement in the overall health of the population in Taiwan.