The Helsinki Biobank has two principal communications goals: to establish biobank operations as a permanent feature in the hospital service system and to raise awareness of biobank research and operations among the public at large.
We can reach an audience beyond hospital personnel and patients through social media channels. Over the past two years, the Facebook page of the Helsinki Biobank has acquired 469 followers, and we have 880 followers on Twitter. A total of 167 updates were posted on Facebook and Twitter about biobank research and operations (86 tweets and 81 Facebook posts). The tweets and Facebook posts of the Helsinki Biobank attracted more than 190,000 views altogether.
Cooperation with patient organizations and experiential experts was enhanced: several monthly themed events were organized jointly with various organizations, improving the visibility of the Helsinki Biobank and of biobank operations beyond the Meilahti campus. Monthly events were held for instance at Central Library Oodi and at the Stockmann department store in the center of Helsinki.