The national-level human genetic resources sample bank building is located in Optics Valley of China in Wuhan. [Photo/Hubei Daily]

Construction of the national-level human genetic resources sample bank building is nearing completion, according to local media reports. It is located in East Lake High-tech Development Zone (Optics Valley of China) in Wuhan, the capital of Central China's Hubei province.

The building will begin operations in the first half of this year, focusing on the preservation and utilization of human genetic resources, as well as related technology development, achievement transformation and data sharing.

It aims to build a major national scientific and technological resource sharing service platform based on the preservation and utilization of human genetic resources.

Following completion of the project's first phase, it will be able to store 15 million sample tubes with the help of the world's largest storage unit (by volume), which will utilize automated and vapor-phase liquid nitrogen tanks and ultra-low temperature freezers.

Upon completion of the second phase, the sample bank will build a stem cell resource facility that will be able to preserve 100 million cells. It is expected to become a large-scale comprehensive innovation center with global influence that focuses on the shared use of human genetic resources.

The sample bank will also cooperate with Hubei Cancer Hospital to build a biological sample bank for malignant tumors such as colorectal cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer.